ONE of the parents of the slain UNIPORT students, Mr. Steven Biringa, has insisted that his son, Chiadika, was labelled a thief by his assailants so that they could find a reason to kill him.
Biringa told our correspondent in Port Harcour, Rivers State on Thursday that his son had a good upbringing.
He said it was unfortunate for members of the Aluu community to kill his son “over spurious claims”.
Biringa, from Obowo Local Government of Imo State, said Chiadika was always contented with what he had and would only plead with his parents to get what he needed.
He said, “I have always said that if you have seen me, you have seen my child. My child was full of humility. The issue of stealing or being an armed robber is unimaginable. He is dead and would not be here to defend himself.
“They (slain students) were supposed to be trained to take charge when we leave the stage. So why would somebody get up one day and give them a bad name and kill them? It’s just like giving a dog a bad name in order to kill it.
“It is not just killing the young men, but the manner which they did it is more annoying. I know my son will die one day just like you and I, but why now and why should it be in the most unacceptable form?
“I don’t see Chiadika going to pick somebody’s thing. It is unfortunate that he is being labelled a thief or an armed robber or whatever name they must have given to him.
“But I know that till tomorrow, if I meet him after this planet earth, I am sure he would remain what he has always been. Chiadika is never a thief and will never be a thief.”
Biringa appealed to government to allow the law to take its cause in the matter.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Bar Association on Thursday demanded the prosecution of those behind the killing of students of the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, Adamawa State and University of Port Harcourt.
NBA President, Mr. Emeka Wali, made the demands at a press conference in Abuja.
About 40 students of Mubi Polytechnic were killed by gunmen on October 2.
Also, four students of UNIPORT set ablaze by a mob in Aluu community near the institution on Friday.
Wali stressed that anything short of the identification and prosecution of the killers in the two incidents was not acceptable.
He said, “The NBA notes with concern, the alarming rate of insecurity in the country and the attendant debasement of our national psyche, leading to disregard for the sanctity of human life.
“We condemn the perpetrators of these and many other dastardly acts and urge the security agencies to restore the confidence of Nigerians in their ability to protect lives and properties of Nigerians.
“In this regard, nothing short of the identification and prosecution of the Mubi and Aluu killers and collaborators will assuage the feelings of Nigerians.”
The NBA said the two incidents were indications of a total system failure.
“There is no disputing the fact that these show a total system failure. Neither of these dastardly acts took place in a time frame that the security agencies would not have arrived the scene and prevented the murders, if there had been timely intervention,” the association said.
The NBA argued that the development had justified its call for the establishment of state police.
Wali added, “The NBA repeats its support for the call for state police, we believe that it will inter-alia, aid adequate funding, training and intelligence gathering. These deaths were preventable with timely intervention by the police.
“Our policing system today has failed, it is underfunded and so ill equipped and incapable of protecting lives and property.”
Punch Nigeria
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