#JusticeForUwa: Heart-Rending Story Of UNIBEN Student, Vera Uwaila Omozuwa Who Was Raped And Murdered Inside A Church (Graphic Photos)
A 22-year-old 100Level student of Microbiology at the University of Benin, Edo State, Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, has been brutally raped and killed inside a church in the city while reading, Sources gather.
The undergraduate who goes to read every day at The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Edo Province 10, Ikpoba Hill, Benin, was attacked in broad daylight with a fire extinguisher by unknown men on Wednesday, May 27.
Despite being rushed to the intensive care unit of a hospital, Omozuwa couldn’t make it as she succumbed to the injuries sustained during the savage attack.
A family source said Uwaila died on Saturday midnight at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) where she was rushed to after the attack. He said;
“The church’s security officer had gone to collect the keys to the church from its keeper when he was told that there was someone in the church already.
He got to the church only to find Uwaila in a pool of blood and next to her was the fire extinguisher which was used to bash her face.
He ran back to inform the key keeper and his wife, who went to the church to meet her lifeless, thinking she was dead. After careful observation, they noticed she moved her hand and quickly rushed her to the hospital.
It was at the hospital that Uwaila revealed she was reading all alone when some unknown men came into the church , beat, raped and hit her head with a fire extinguisher. However, she later passed on.”
Meanwhile, the University of Benin has reacted to the unfortunate incident, The PUNCH reports. The institution described the act as shocking, adding that its management would visit the deceased’s family soon.
UNIBEN in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Dr. Benedicta Ehanire, advised its students to be wary of the company they keep and the places they visit.
The statement read in part,
“Reacting on behalf of management, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Lillian Salami, said the actions are condemnable and should not be condoned by any society. She said the current pandemic was already hard on everyone and that compounding it with inflicting additional pain on any family is a wicked act.
“While commiserating with the bereaved family on the loss of their dear daughter, Prof. Salami prayed God to grant her soul peaceful rest. The Vice Chancellor then used the opportunity to call on students of the institution and indeed all young people to be wary of the company they keep and the places they visit.”
Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki, has also reacted to the sad news. Reacting via his Twitter handle, the governor said the police has been mandated to identify, arrest and prosecute anyone found culpable in her death. He tweeted:
”I have ordered the Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG ) to thoroughly investigate the circumstances that led to the death of Miss Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, a 100-level student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN).
The @PoliceNG has been mandated to identify, arrest and prosecute anyone found culpable in her death. The Violence Against Persons (VAP) Law is in effect in our state.
Using this law, we would ensure to investigate what exactly transpired and deal decisively with the those found complicit in the dastardly act, whoever they might be.”
The incident has led to a social media campaign for justice with the hashtag #JusticeForUwa. Here are some tweets below;
