Date Published: 09/22/11

Gang Rape Controversy: It didn't happen on our Campus -ABSU SUG President

Following the alleged rape of a lady believed to be a student of the Abia state University(ABSU), Uturu, by suspected members of a cult group who recorded and posted the video on the internet, the newly elected president of the Student Union Government(SUG)  of the institution, Mr. Chidi Uruakpa, has refuted the rumours making the rounds that the incident took place on the ABSU campus.

In a telephone interview with Pointblanknews, Uruakpa dismissed the rumours as the handwork of mischievous elements who do not wish the institution well.

“The incident never took place anywhere around the ABSU campus. Take a good look of the scenery of the video in circulation, it doesn’t depict anything about the ABSU environment.. Go to our hostel rooms or rooms outside the campus, you will discover the truth. It didn’t happen in ABSU, this is the handwork of the enemies of the institution” he concluded.

Some students of ABSU who spoke to our correspondent also denied that the incident had anything to do with their institution, insisting that they would be the first to get the news and confirm it, had it been it took place at their campus.

A student of the Optometry department who declined to have his name in print said, “when the incident happened last August, I met a girl in a bus in Okigwe town who insisted that it took place in Imo state University.” He promised to assist our correspondent with facts about the place of the incident but couldn’t fulfill this as at the time of going to press.

Others said that they got the video through their friends, and it kept circulating as those who received the video continued to send it to
more people.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Abia state Police Command, ASP Geoffrey Ogbonna said ,”the incident didn’t happen in ABSU. You cannot rule out the possibility of the incident happening somewhere and mischievous persons bringing ABSU into the picture to cause confusion or even cover their evil deeds. The people should ignore the rumour.”

Even as the Abia and Imo Police commands continue to pass the buck with series of denials on the place the incident actually happened, concerned members of the public have berated the victim for failing to report to security agencies since the video revealed that she was mentioning their names pleading for mercy during the alleged rape.

Others have posed questions; ”Could there be of either of the two sister police commands failing to responsibility for dereliction of duty with Uturu, ABSU’s host community being a border town between the two states.