The Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area, has confirmed the death of two graduating students who were set ablaze last week.
The deceased students had just concluded their Higher National Diploma, HND examination when the incident occurred.
Confirming the incident to newsmen yesterday, the Public Relations Officer, PRO, of the institution, Mr. Darlington Oparaocha, said the students were looking forward to going for the mandatory National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, before tragedy struck.
According to the PRO, the exact cause of the fire incident is yet-to-be known.
He said, “We can’t say definitively if they died of cult related activities or sheer armed robbery. A version of the story surrounding their death was linked to armed robbery attack.
“There was an armed robbery attack in the hostel of the deceased students. Unknown armed hoodlums stormed the hostel Wednesday night and robbed the inmates.
“After robbing the inmates of their valuables at gunpoint, the two unfortunate students were tied in their room and set ablaze by the hoodlums.
“We were told that the two students were equally robbed, tied in their room and set ablaze by the rampaging armed men, before fleeing the scene.
“It is true that two of our students have been reported dead. The incident occurred in a hostel close to the school,” Oparaocha said, adding that their bodies have been deposited in a nearby morgue.
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