TWO FUTO STUDENTS FOUND DEAD IN THEIR HOSTEL

Reporter : CHINAZO ILECHUKWU

Two male undergraduate students of the Federal University of Technology Owerri have been found dead in their room at a hostel.

The third occupant of the room, who is a male undergraduate, is in critical condition at a health facility in Owerri.

A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Imo State Police Command, Mr. Orlando Ikeokwu, said following a report, men of the divisional police headquarters in Nekede/Ihiagwa moved into a hostel in Eziobodo, Owerri West Local Government Area where the three undergraduates were seen lying helpless in their room.

He said the victims were immediately taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Owerri where two of the three persons, whose names were given as Kenechukwu Udeagbala and Stephen Anele, were confirmed dead while the third, Eberechukwu Nkama was revived.

Mr. Ikeokwu explained that preliminary investigations suggested that the victims might have suffocated as a result of fumes that emanated from a power generating set, which they inhaled while sleeping at night.

According to the PPRO, a generating set was seen directly by the window in an enclosed space and the exhaust pipe pointing towards the window which was an indication that they might have inhaled carbon monoxide.

Mr. Ikeokwu noted that the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Command, Mr. Nasiru Mohammed, had ordered a full investigation into the matter while efforts were on to trace relatives of the victims, who were between the ages of twenty one and twenty two.