Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
The Dean of Students Affairs, Benue State University Makurdi, Professor Joseph Kerker has narrated how the National President of the National Association of Benue State Students NUBESS, comrade Smith Tyonor was shot on Friday night by two yet to be identified gunmen.
Kerker who spoke with newsmen on Monday said the victim, a 400 level psychology student of the university was shot on his head outside the university premises last Friday at about 9pm by two gunmen riding on a motorcycle.
The Students Affairs Dean said Tyonor was immediately rushed to and subsequently admitted at the University Teaching Hospital BSUTH for medical attention.
“Two (2) persons came on a motorbike where they were holding a meeting opposite the University and a fracas seemed to have ensued. The men inquired what was happening and then went a little distance and shot Smith on the head.
“The next day (Saturday), I went to the hospital to see him but heard a lot of complaints from the Students and family members requesting that he should be transferred to another hospital in Abuja.
“I arranged for an ambulance from First Fertility Hospital even as we learnt that Governor Samuel Ortom had already released an undisclosed amount of money for his treatment.
“The hospital authority, after conducting a test on Smith, said he passed 14% over 15% indicating that he was in a stable condition. There was improvement on his condition when I visited again on Sunday.
“On the same Sunday night, the students became agitated, complaining of poor treatment and security of the victim. So, we decided to transfer him to Abuja based on Security and have even spent over 300,000 naira so far on his treatment as well as gave his parents another 100,000 naira for any exigencies”, Prof. Kerker said.
The Students Affairs Dean said though the University is not obliged to handle any incident that occur outside the school premises, the management had commenced investigation on the matter especially to know the purpose of the meeting that led to the shooting of Smith.
Professor Kerker, however, dismissed insinuation that the meeting and the shooting could be cult-related adding that they have put in place stringent security measures to deal with cult activities in the institution.