RE: Tension Grips Delta Poly Over Killing Of Student As Police Demands Money Before Investigations By Celestina Kalu

1. The attention of Delta State Police Command has been drawn to an online publication of July 6, 2016 by Sahara Reporters with the above caption and wish to state that the said story is malicious, misleading, and an attempt to tarnish the image of the Command and its officers before the public and undiscerning readers.

2. It is pertinent to point out that on 2/7/2016, the DPO Oghara Division received information that a corpse of a lady was found lying by the fence of Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe-Oghara. Consequently, the DPO led detectives to the scene, viewed the corpse and observed no visible marks of violence on the body except whitish foam from the nose and mouth. The victim was identified as Udu Edith Bugbemi ‘f’, a part-time ND 1 student of Science Laboratory and Technology Dept, Delta State Polytechnic Otefe-Oghara.

The detectives after photographing the scene evacuated the corpse to Delta State Teaching hospital Mortuary-Oghara, and filled out coroner’s forms which were served on the doctor for post mortem examination in order to ascertain the cause of her death.

3. The Command equally wishes to state as a matter of fact that the DPO Oghara and his men did not demand money from the victim’s parents or any other person before carrying out investigation as alleged by the Sahara Reporters. It is also worth stating here that the Police Public Relations officer (PPRO), SP. 

Celestina Kalu never rebuffed any caller from Sahara Reporters as no call was made to her GSM line by Sahara Reporters correspondent as claimed. The PPRO has no reason to rebuff call from Sahara Reporters or any other caller since she knows her roles as the Command’s spokesperson.

4. Investigation into the incident is ongoing while the result of the post mortem examination is being awaited to determine the cause of death.

5. Finally, the Command urges the public to disregard the said publication as false, malicious, and speculative and a mere figment of the author’s imagination. We also wish to counsel the Sahara Reporters to practice responsible journalism by getting facts of incidents before rushing to press.

SP. CELESTINA KALU,
POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
DELTA STATE COMMAND.