Tension heightened on Friday in Amassoma, the host community of Niger Delta University as students gave the community 24 hours ultimatum to produce the killers of the final Political Science student, Palowei Asayomor Francis who was murdered over an illegal levy by suspected miscreants.

The students from Ekeremor Local Government Area, the home local government of the deceased after an emergency meeting said the community should release the killers to the students or the Nigerian people.

They noted that after the expiration of the 24 hours and the community could not produce the killers, all Ekeremor students living in Amassoma should vacate the community as the community has demonstrated that it cannot protect their lives.

Sources in the community said the directive by the Ekeremor students has caused panic in the community with several students leaving for Yenagoa, the state capital.

There were also palpable fears in the community fueled by reports that aggrieved youths of Ekeremor may invade the community to ensure the arrest of the killers.

Investigations revealed that the students do not have confidence in the ability of the security agencies to arrest the prime suspects, especially one notorious cult leader who has been fingered in several killings in the University community but has been shielded by powerful forces.

Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State Government has appealed to the bereaved Paleowei family and the entire people of the Obirigbene community of Ekeremor to remain calm saying it was working closely with security agencies to get the culprits arrested and prosecuted in a competent court of law.

The Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who presided over an emergency meeting in his office in Government House, Yenagoa to douse rising tension assured the delegation that every necessary step would be taken to bring the perpetrators to face the full consequences of the nefarious act.

Senator Ewhrudjakpo, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Doubra Atasi, also called on the Amassoma community to collaborate with the security personnel to ensure the apprehension of the murder suspects.

He equally Insisted that the student community in the Niger Delta University (NDU) must not take laws into their hands by revenge as the Police had already arrested the prime suspect through the effort of the Amassoma community.

His words: “We are pleading with the family and Obirigbene community to remain calm as the government was on top of the situation through the security agencies. Already, the prime suspect has been arrested and is already in police custody.

“Our message to the student community at the NDU, much like that to the people of Obirigbene, is for them to remain calm and law-abiding, and they should not contemplate revenge. Already the prime suspect has been arrested by the Police.

The Amassoma community should also not spare any effort to ensure the arrest of the other suspects involved in the murder of the student. ”

Speaking on behalf of the bereaved Paleowei family of Obirigbene, Mr Daniel Paleowei, Mrt. Odudu Awipi and Elder Cletus Paleowei insisted that the killers of the late Francis Paleowei should be brought to book.

According to the family, the deceased was a brilliant student who had the makings of first class in his department, describing his killing as an unwarranted evil. (Saturday Sun)

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