Tears as family buries AAU student killed by suspected herdsmen

AN 18 -year -old student of the Ambrose Ali University , Ekpoma , Collins Ojeriakhi , who was killed by a gang of armed men , suspected to be herdsmen in the Esan South- East Local Government Area of Edo State , has been buried .
This was as the Commissioner of Police in the state , Mr . Johnson Kokumo, said that one person had been arrested in connection with the killing .
Kokumo also stated that investigation was ongoing to identify and arrest other members of the killer gang .
Ojeriakhi and two other persons , including a minor, had been reportedly shot dead by the armed men in Ugboha on March 16 .
Several other people were also said to have been injured during the attack.
The late Ojeriakhi , a first year student of Banking and Finance at the AAU , was said to be on his way from Uromi on a motorcycle when the assailants opened fire on him .
It was learnt that the youngest of the victims was returning from Lagos along with his mother and sibling on a motorcycle when he was shot .
It was also learnt that he later died in his mother ’ s arms after efforts to save his life proved abortive.
Governor Godwin Obaseki, who condemned the killings, had also ordered the arrest of the culprits within seven days .
However , family members and sympathisers wept as the body of the late undergraduate was interred in his father’ s compound located in Oyomon Quarters , Ineme -Ugboha , at about 5 pm on Wednesday .
It was gathered that the burial was witnessed by some security agents, members of the Students ’ Union Government from AAU and classmates of the deceased .
The father of the deceased , Mr . Festus Ojeriakhi , described his late son as a hardworking and peace-loving person who would be missed by his relatives and friends .
Ojeriakhi stated, “ The boy ( Collins) used the motorcycle to carry cassava for me from the farm four times in a day . He was very cool- headed , quiet and did not cause trouble .
“ It is too unfortunate and I miss him . I have even started clearing my farm, hoping that he would come home after his first semester to help me.
“ It was because of him that I tried to extend my farm . He was still growing with a lot of stamina and he loved school and farming. We used to farm together before I lost him . ”
Meanwhile , the Commissioner of Police , Kokumo, said the suspect arrested in connection with the killings was still being profiled and he would be charged to court soon .
Kokumo added , “ We have arrested one person and the person will appear in court . We are investigating, profiling him . We want to ensure that we are able to lay hands on other members of the gang . ”