RIP: Youth corps member killed in Rivers rerun

A youth corps member was killed in the violent legislative poll held in Rivers state at the weekend, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced. 

In a statement issued by the NYSC management on Monday evening, the name of the victim was given as Okonta Dumebi Samuel with corps number RV/15B/5539. Okonta, an orphan, was killed by unknown gunmen in Ahoada West LGA. Two other corps members with him at the time of the incident escaped from the scene through the help of security agents, the statement added. Okonta, who served at GCSS Ukpeliede, was described as a patriotic young man by the NYSC management who said his killing “is primitive, barbaric, and ungodly and should be strongly condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians”. It promised to work with relevant agencies to ensure that the perpetrators of “this heinous act” are fished out and made to face the full wrath of the law. “We consider Okonta Samuel’s death as a great loss, not only to his immediate family, but also to all of us in the NYSC family and the entire nation,” the statement added. In a much cheery development, another corps member, Anana Aniekan Udoetor, who was earlier reported missing, has been found and is “hale and hearty”, the NYSC said. A total of 6880 NYSC members served during the ill-fated rerun polls. In 2011, nine corps members who serves as ad hoc staff, were killed by rioters who were protesting the outcome of the presidential poll. The victims were: Teidi Tosin Olawale (Kogi state, BSc computer science); Nkwazema Anslem Chukwunonyerem (Imo state, HND electrical electronic engineering), Okpokiri Obinna Michael (Abia state, BSc environmental management), Adowei Elliot (Bayelsa state, BSc computer science) and Adewunmi Seun Paul (Ekiti state, BSc, social sciences). Others were: Adeniji Kehinde Jehleel (Osun state, BSc banking and finance), Gbenjo Ebenezer Ayotunde (Osun state, BSc, education economics), Ukeoma Ikechukwu Chibuzor (Imo state, BSc medical microbiology) and Akonyi Ibrahim Sule (Kogi State, HND business administration).