Three Man O’ War Members Arrested Over Killing of FUTO Student

Chinedu Christogonus (also identified as Chinedu Chibuzor Christogonus)

Three Man O’ War Members Arrested Over Killing of FUTO Student

The Imo State Police Command has arrested three students of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), in connection with the alleged murder of a 21-year-old undergraduate who was reportedly beaten to death by members of the university’s Man O’ War organisation over an accusation of stealing N13,500.

The deceased, Chinedu Christogonus (also identified as Chinedu Chibuzor Christogonus), was a 100-level Cyber Security student at FUTO. He reportedly died on Saturday, May 30, 2026, after he was allegedly restrained and subjected to severe assault by members of the paramilitary campus security group. The incident has sparked widespread outrage on the campus, with angry students reportedly going on a rampage, burning buildings and destroying property within the university. In a viral video circulating on social media, students were seen in large numbers demanding justice for their slain colleague, systematically demolishing Man O’ War signposts and perimeter fixtures, and setting several structures on fire.

Confirming the incident in a statement on Saturday, the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Henry Okoye, disclosed that preliminary investigations revealed that Christogonus was allegedly assaulted by some Man O’ War members after he was accused of stealing N13,500. Okoye identified the suspects arrested in connection with the incident as Chukwuemeka Benedict, 21; Kelechi Ikenna, 24; and Obioma Anastasia, 21, all of whom are 500-level students of FUTO. According to the police, initial findings indicated that the deceased was allegedly restrained and subjected to severe assault, resulting in critical injuries. “He was subsequently rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, where he was confirmed dead by medical personnel,” the statement read.

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Upon receiving the report, the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, CP Audu Garba Bosso, immediately directed operatives to take swift action, leading to the immediate arrest of the suspects. Relevant evidence has been secured, while the corpse has been deposited in the morgue for preservation and autopsy. To ensure a thorough, professional, and discreet investigation, the Commissioner of Police has ordered the transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Owerri, for comprehensive investigation. He further directed that all persons connected to the incident be identified and investigated, with a view to ensuring that justice is served. “The Commissioner of Police assures the family of the deceased, the university community, and members of the public that the command is fully on top of the situation and remains committed to uncovering the circumstances surrounding the death. He emphasizes that no individual, regardless of status, will be shielded from the law if found culpable,” the police statement read.

According to multiple reports, the tragic incident began on Friday night, May 29, 2026, when Christogonus was arrested by members of the Man O’ War organisation over an accusation of theft. The FUTO Association of Campus Journalists described the incident as one of the darkest moments in the institution’s history. According to the union, Christogonus was serving as the aide-de-camp (ADC) to the commander of the cadet organisation on the campus, noting that the incident stemmed from an internal dispute within the paramilitary group. “Accounts surrounding the origin of the dispute remain conflicting,” the union’s statement read. “While some sources allege that Chinedu was accused of stealing N13,500 belonging to the commander, Benedict, others maintain that the issue stemmed from an alleged debt of N13,000. Regardless of the differing accounts, multiple sources claim that Chinedu was subjected to hours of severe assault and punishment that reportedly lasted between five and six hours.” Witnesses alleged that the beating continued deep into the night, with the student enduring repeated physical abuse at the hands of fellow members of the organisation. Several students pleaded for his release, but their pleas were ignored until he allegedly died as a result of the torture.

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The news of his death sparked immediate outrage and a swift retaliatory onslaught from the student body. The confirmation of the freshman’s death turned the university campus into a battlefield as thousands of enraged students mobilised in solidarity. In one video clip, a thick crowd of students can be seen utilizing clubs and heavy stones to completely demolish the signpost and perimeter fixtures of the paramilitary organization. Another video reveals a much more dangerous escalation, showing desperate students setting several structures on fire. Plumes of thick, dark smoke can be seen billowing heavily over university buildings, forcing lecturers and administrators to flee the campus for safety. It was gathered that C.E. Orji, dean of student affairs, and Christopher Bukas, president of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) , made efforts to engage the protesters. However, the students declined to back down, insisting that nothing short of the complete dissolution of the Man O’ War unit would satisfy their demand for justice.

“The boy was brutally beaten just because of an unverified accusation that he stole N13,000,” a distraught student leader told SaharaReporters. “Instead of handing him over to the university’s official security unit or the Nigeria Police for proper investigation, these Man O’ War elements locked him up and beat him like an animal until he died. This is pure murder, and we will not allow it to be swept under the rug.” Speaking to TheCable, Nduka Victory, the SUG public relations officer (PRO) , said the university had placed an indefinite ban on Man O’ War activities on the campus in a bid to calm the rising tension.

The tragic incident has renewed intense debates regarding the high-handed operations of quasi-security and volunteer paramilitary groups across Nigerian university campuses. Students have routinely complained that bodies like the Man O’ War, cadet units, and local campus vigilantes often operate outside the law, using torture, arbitrary detentions, and raw physical violence to extort and terrorize students under the guise of enforcing campus discipline. The destruction of the base at FUTO represents a total rejection of these parallel security structures by the student body.

The police command appealed to students and members of the public to remain calm and allow the investigation to run its course, reiterating the command’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that all those responsible are brought to justice. As of the time of this report, the three suspects remain in police custody while investigations continue. The corpse of the deceased has been deposited in the morgue pending autopsy.