FUOYE female student’s murder: We need justice, students cry out *Suspect cover-up *Demand safety on campus

Some aggrieved students of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE), have cried out over what they suspect were attempts to smear the image of Atanda Modupe Deborah, the female student of the institution, whose body was discovered in a shallow grave near the Faculty of Pharmacy, on Wednesday after she was brutally murdered by yet to be ascertained assailants.

Though the police say they had arrested about 10 suspects, the students, some of them, associates and classmates of the deceased, believe that the attempt to skew the narrative of the circumstances surrounding her death, could be a way of depicting her as a bad person, thus blaming her for the fate she faced.

There had been narratives surrounding the tight wears with which she was covered when her body was exhumed from the grave after it was discovered by a search party, which some people claimed she was wearing before her attack, suggesting that such scanty dressing must have invited her killers.

But in a detailed account by one to the students, who saw her last, such a narrative was far from the truth as she was well covered and had never been known to indulge in untoward behaviours, being a devout Christian, adding that contrary to the allegation that she went out at night, she only stayed back in the classroom to read after the day’s lectured in the afternoon.

The students, who expressed worries about the sudden lukewarm attitude of the authorities of the institution, including the student’s union of the university, demanded security on campus, saying there was no crime in their deciding to move around the compound to pursue their academic dreams.

The students wrote: “We want to give detailed information about the news trending online right now about FUOYE. We are not doing this for clout but simply want justice to be served, correct misinformation and those questioning her character. Now, this unfortunate incident surrounding the death of our friend and colleague, Miss ATANDA MODUPE DEBORAH started on Tuesday when she went to read after classes ended in the afternoon at about 1:30pm in one of the halls close to the faculty and didn’t return in the evening to the private hostel accommodation where she stays located on campus which is about a five-minute walk from the faculty.

“Prior to this, the hostel did not provide light for the students in that residence despite their 24hr light claim so our phones were low and hers was most likely dead because her roommates and friends tried reaching out to her but her line was switched off.

“The situation was reported by her roommates and some friends living in the same hostel to the hostel management which then resulted to some of her departmental colleagues starting up a small search party at about 10:00a.m on Wednesday.

“An e-poster was made to declare her missing and was shared across student platforms. During the search, some of her things were recovered such as: her earrings, a button of her shirt, the buckle from her shoe and her notes strewn about nearby locations.

“After the discovery of her things, a full-blown search was carried out as the SUG and school management eventually got involved which led to a later discovery of her body in a shallow grave around the faculty. She was decently dressed in a blouse and skirt which was taken off of her as she was in her tight shorts as at the time of discovery of her body. She was a God-fearing person and a bright student who was on a 4point CGPA.

“WE ARE CRYING OUT BECAUSE WE NEED JUSTICE FOR MODUPE! GOING TO READ IN A CLASSROOM IS NOT A CRIME. WE AS STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO FEEL SAFE TO MOVE AROUND WITHIN THE CAMPUS! STUDYING TO BE THE BEST IS NOT A CRIME. THE SCHOOL SYSTEM SHOULD DO RIGHT BY US AS EDUCATION IS SUPPOSED TO IMPROVE OUR LIVES! We appeal that you pull as much attention to this case as possible. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.