NOUN Tragedy: 30-yr-old final year student killed while settling lovers' quarrel

A final year student of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Femi James Kehinde, has died while trying to make peace between two lovers.

Kehinde, regarded as the de facto leader by students of the NOUN Centre at Abeokuta, Ogun State, lost his life in a fight between two students, Gabriel, a 200 level Political Science student and his girlfriend, a first-year student around 8pm on Saturday night.

Student Pulse gathered that the 30-year-old had gone to Gabriel's apartment on the invitation of the girlfriend.

A few minutes later, his friends were told that Gabriel had killed him.

They found him sprawled in a pool of his own blood at the apartment and rushed him to the hospital.

But he was confirmed dead

An eye-witness who pleaded anonymity told the Daily Sun that Kehinde responded to a plea by "a lady" who said "her boyfriend had been manhandling her."

"James told the lady to calm down and assured her that the matter would be resolved amicably. But all of a sudden, James got up and left.

"But about 15minutes later, another lady rushed in and was crying that James had been killed.

"But as I and others were rushing to the scene, we saw that policemen had got to the scene and they corked their guns as we approached them warning everybody not to move."

Gabriel is the prime suspect in the killing.

According to the witness, he was seen hitting Kehinde with a stick.

"Those who actually were at the scene said as at the time they got to the scene, James had not died but they saw Gabriel hitting him with a piece of wood.

"They said when they tried to rescue James from him, Gabriel prevented them.”

Gabriel was arrested on the spot and is reportedly being interrogated at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta."

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the suspect and his girlfriend are in custody.

“The matter is still with us and the girl friend to the suspect is with us too. Investigation is still on and as soon as the court resumes, we’ll charge him to court.”

NOUN students say they will miss Kehinde who they say used to organize tutorials for fellow students and championed the establishment of a centre at Saint James’ Pri­mary School, Kuto.