-Army School’s Labour Prefect Loses life for Enforcing Discipline
TRAGEDY struck at 13 Amphibious Brigade, Eburutu Barracks, Ikot
Ansa in Calabar Municipality of Cross River State recently when the Labour Prefect of Army Day Secondary School, Boniface Odinakachukwu, 19, was stabbed to death for confiscating fellow student’s sandals.
Investigations revealed that Boniface, an SSS II student and an indigene of Onicha-Igboeze Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, met his untimely death penultimate week when his fellow SS II student, one Francis (surname withheld), allegedly hired a colleague, Godwin (surname also withheld), 20, to assist him in beating up the Prefect for daring to accost him (Francis) for improper dressing in school.
The late Boniface, it was learnt, was a stickler for discipline and therefore, ensured that students complied with the mode of dressing within the school premises.
And in carrying out his official functions, the Prefect had accosted Godwin, queried him on why he should fly his shirt’s collar and adorning a pair of sandals during school hours and as a punishment, the late Boniface allegedly confiscated the sandals and handed over to one of the school masters, hoping to return them to him the following day as has always been the practice.
Francis, sources said, did not raise any eyebrow as he walked quietly to his class without showing any sign that he was annoyed or out to do anything funny over the seizure of his sandals.
But trouble started, when after school had closed at 3:00 pm, Francis and a few of the students alleged to be cultists including Godwin, a school drop-out, were unknowingly trailing him and subsequently attacked and killed him in the process.
An eyewitness said: “As we were going home after school hours, we noticed some funny movements by senior students as they clustered and were pointing at our Labour Prefect, accusing him of always embarrassing the students who don’t dress properly.
“The group of students numbering about five accosted Boniface finally and asked him why did he embarrass the big boy, Francis and before he could utter a word, a fight ensued. At that time, Godwin just stepped forward, removed a dagger from his pocket and stabbed the Labour Prefect on the chest and he slumped and died instantly.”
On discovering that Boniface was dead, the boys fled, but were later arrested by the soldiers and handed over to the police.
Godwin, who hailed from Akwa Ibom State, is cooling off at the Diamond Hill state police command headquarters, Calabar where is being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).
Police sources informed that Godwin had confessed that he was hired by his friend, Francis, to assist, asked him to recover a pair of sandals which Boniface had seized from him for allegedly dressing improperly.
The accused disclosed that Francis spotted the Labour Prefect for him from a distance and pointed at him and they went after him in a group.
Besides, Godwin who is a drop-out from Government Technical School Ikot Nsa, Calabar, had admitted that he got hold of the Labour Prefect from the back, and later stabbed him on the chest, saying he didn’t intend to kill him.
Francis was also said to have admitted that both of them laid ambush for the late Boniface at the school gate, waiting for the closing hour so that they could the deal with him. He said that it was not their intention to kill him, but to just harass him and collect the sandals.
Francis and Godwin, who are said to be close friends and live in the same block at Eburutu Barracks, would soon be charged to court as they have already admitted to killing the prefect.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Hogan Bassey, confirmed the incident to reporters in Calabar.
Reacting to Boniface’s death, his elder brother, Ikemefuna, said: “I don’t know why a fellow student should organize people to kill my younger brother just like that. It is very painful and a big loss to our family and we would not allow our brother’s killers to go free.
“What will I tell my parents that I took my brother from home alive and bubbling and now taking him home in a coffin? Why should it be so?”
Ikemefuna, who trades on GSM accessories, said: “Justice must be done by ensuring that those students are also killed so that others will learn from there. We will not accept any move to scuttle the prosecution of this matter because I have informed my community here in Calabar and Ebonyi. We will soon write to our state government to come to our aid so that this type of thing will not happen to our people again.”
He said, however, that once the police are through with the autopsy, they would write officially so that the body can be released for burial in his hometown.
Also speaking, the Ebonyi Development Association, Calabar branch’s spokesman, Chief Ogbonnaya Oka, said the community would soon decide on how to go about the killing of one of their sons.
Oka, who appealed to all Ebonyians to remain calm amid any provocation, said, “we will soon make our representations to Governor Liyel Imoke to ensure that we are given protection because Ebonyi people contribute positively to the economic development of the state,” adding that they would assist the police in the prosecution of the accused.
COURTESY: The Sun