The parents of the drowned UNIBEN final year student, Francis Anuide, have demanded an autopsy be carried out on the corpse of the 23-year-old.
It was reported that Francis was accompanied to Ekosodin River by two University colleagues on Thursday, June 29. The river is located in an off-campus community near UNIBEN.
His body was recovered by local divers two days after he drowned in the river, and the injuries on his body raised suspicions amongst his family members. This prompted them to demand an autopsy.
In accordance with their custom and tradition, the community locals already dug a grave by the river bank to bury the deceased. This act was opposed by Francis's parents who demanded an autopsy before burial.
It was reported that the deceased had bruises around his neck and his lips. Those colleagues who accompanied him to the river, Wilfred Emmanuel and Samson Kennedy, have been arrested for questioning by the Edo State Police.
The arrest was confirmed by the Edo State Police Command and the state's Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Chidi Nwabuzor, confirmed that the suspects are cooperating with the investigations.
An anonymous student revealed to the Policemen men that the suspects were the ones that invited the deceased for a swim.
The student, who pleaded anonymity, further stated that the suspects ran to the Ekosodin community in a bid to seek the help of community members to rescue their colleague.
Unfortunately for Francis, he died before help could arrive.
Chidi Nwabuzor said when the case was reported at the Ugbowo Police Station in the community, the DPO and his men went to the scene with a team of local divers to see to the case.
Nwabuzor further stated that the arrest of the suspects was necessary to uncover why they left their hostel to the river and to decipher what happened at the river.