Dowen College: Delta State Govt To Pursue Case, As IYC Demands Justice For Slain 12-year-Old Student

By Newsportal Editor and Ebi Alexander, Yenegoa

The Governor of Delta State, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa has stated the determination of the State to pursue the case of the death of Sylvester Omoroni Jnr, former student of Dowen College, Lagos, to its logical conclusion.

Reacting to the incident in his Facebook page, Okowa, who agreed with the decision of the Lagos State Government to probe the matter, said, ” As a government that places priority on the lives of our citizens within and outside the state, we are determined to pursue this case to the end. The matter must be investigated, perpetrators apprehended, punished, and made an example of, to serve as a very strong deterrence against future occurrences.

“As we continue to watch this case closely, we extend our prayers and support to the Oromoni family. As they mourn the loss of their young son, I pray that Almighty God gives them the strength that they need at this difficult time”

Meanwhile, the Ijaw Youth Congress, IYC, has joined its voice to the call for the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to launch a detailed and meticulous investigation that would unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of the 12-year-old student.

The IYC which notes that the diseased 12-year-old was a
son of Ijaw land from Ogbeh-Ijoh area of Warri South-West in Delta State, demanded that the Lagos State Police Command arrests
the Principal of the school, students mentioned and staff involved in the alleged attempt to change the narrative that led to the death of the student without further delay.

In a statement issued by Comr. Ebilade Ekerefe, the National Spokesman of IYC in Yenagoa, the body said that they were demanding a holistic Investigation that would bring to book the killers of the boy and members of the school management, who instead of speaking the truth, soiled their souls by trying desperately to cover up the evil deeds.

While commending the
Lagos State Government for shutting down the college, the Ijaw Youths demanded that the Ministry of Education should suspend the operating licence of
the school for being a careless institution that places emphasis on its business than protecting the lives of future leaders in their care.

The statement reads in part, “we have read to our chagrin that the late Oromoni was indeed the latest victim of bully and harrowing assaults by fellow students.

“The supposed injuries from the beatings led to his death, according to a Twitter user with the handle @perrisonoromoni, the boy’s cousin.

“To our utter consternation, the school denied all allegations stating that Oromoni was neither bullied nor beaten but only complained of hip pain after playing football.

“However, contrary to the school’s
statement, the victim’s cousin rolled out photos and video evidence, which tended to corroborate the fact that the child was bullied and beaten which had led to this avoidable untimely death.

“Late Sylvester Oromoni Jnr is a
son of Ijaw land from Ogbeh-Ijoh area of Warri South-West Local Government of Delta State. The circumstances that led to his death are indeed irksome to all Nigerians of good conscience who have displayed tremendous solidarity in the condemnation of evil. We are thankful to them.

“The Justice we demand is the
holistic type that will bring to book the killers of this boy and members of the school management, who instead of speaking the truth, soiled their souls by trying desperately to cover up the evil deeds.

“While we thank and commend the Lagos State Government for its speedy initiative towards shutting down the Dowen College, the Ijaw Youths worldwide wants to call on the Lagos Commissioner of Police to launch a detailed and meticulous investigation into the death of Sylvester Oromoni Jnr.

“We also call for the arrest of
the Principal of the school, students mentioned and staff involved in the alleged attempt to change the narrative that led to the death. They have shown evidence of a deliberate attempt to conceal murder. The fake story about the hip injury from a game of football shows in clear language that they are complicit in the crime!

“We want to appeal to the police and other security agencies to be professional and not to be deterred by the massive influence behind the school. The school is a business concern of powerful people.

“There are online reports quoting the principal of the school as having said that lectures would go on online. This story if true amounts to organizing a party around the corpse of the late Sylvester Oromoni. The state government should halt it.

“We also demand from the Lagos
State Government and the Ministry of Education that the operating license of
the school be suspended to send a clear signal to careless institutions who place emphasis on their businesses to the utter exclusion of the lives of the future leaders in their care.

“Finally, We commend all concerned Nigerians; we commend the media for the huge attention given to this disturbing development, we commend our celebrities, who trooped out in their numbers in speaking out to condemn this heinous crime while calling for justice to prevail. We are strengthened by the unprecedented solidarity showed by Nigerians.

“We therefore commiserate with Sylvester Oromini Snr and the entire Ogbeh-Ijoh Royal family on this royal blood that has been spilled in a most dastardly manner.”