Police begin hunt for accomplices in assault of FULAFIA student

The police command in Nasarawa state is now on the hunt for the accomplices said to have been involved in the stripping of a female student at the Federal University of Lafia (FULAFIA).

Ramhan Nansel, the command PRO, confirmed this in a statement following the arrest of the prime assailants.

Earlier, a video surfaced on social media showing a FULAFIA lecturer, named Fred Ayokhai, ripping off the singlet of a young lady, identified as Blessing Mathias, with scissors.

The victim, who was sitting in the back of a vehicle, is seen shedding tears and pleading for lenience.

Mathias, as seen in subsequent viral videos, was stripped of her shirt, flogged, and dropped off naked in the bush.

Following its preliminary probe, the Nassarawa police confirmed that the assailants had indeed stripped Mathias and assaulted her after she beat up the lecturer’s daughter named Emmanuella for allegedly snatching her lover.

It said the student’s stripping, which involved other members of the lecturer’s family, followed in retaliation.

The command said it is now on a manhunt for other accomplices involved in the assault for prosecution.

“Sequel to the viral tweet of assault on a female teenager in Lafia, Nasarawa state, the Command swiftly commenced an investigation into the case,” the police statement reads in part.

“Two suspects, namely Dr. Fred Ekpa Ayokhai, an associate professor with the Department of History and International Studies, FULAFIA, and one Emmanuela Ekpa Ayokhai have been arrested.

“The vehicle belonging to Dr. Fred which was used in conveying the victim to a location along Kwandere road, Lafia where she was assaulted has been recovered.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that Emmanuela Ekpa Ayokhai and the victim had a misunderstanding over a man named IG. The victim accused Emmanuela of snatching her supposed boyfriend and assaulted her.

“In retaliation, Emmanuela mobilised her family, went after the victim, and got her assaulted as well.

“The commissioner of police, AIG Adesina Soyemi, has ordered an intensive manhunt for the other fleeing suspects and further directed that those arrested should be charged to court for prosecution.”