Rivers Varsity Student Drowns

By Nkasi Kolie

A 100-level student of the Rivers State University (RSU) has reportedly drowned in the University of Port Harcourt’s (UniPort) swimming pool.

It was  gathered that the student simply identified as Emmanuel,  had  gone with some of his friends to the pool, but drowned while they were swimming at the Olympic-size swimming pool at the Sports Complex located in the University main campus popularly known as “Abuja Campus.”

Emmanuel, who hailed from Ogun State and student of the Faculty of Marine Engineering, was reportedly at the pool with three of his friends.

It was further gathered that when the incident occurred, police visited the scene and  arrested two of the friends for interrogation.

The body was recovered and  deposited at  University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, (UPTH) mortuary, while his two other friends have been detained at the Choba Police Station.

Meanwhile, University of Port Harcourt management has placed a ban on pleasure swimming in the facility.

Spokesman of the University, Sam Kpenu,  confirmed the incident to journalists, disclosing that the remains had been deposited at the morgue.

Kpenu was quoted as saying: “A year one student from the Rivers State University  of the Faculty of Marine Engineering, Mr Emmanuel, lost his life at the Olympic swimming pool at the “Abuja Campus” of UniPort.

“He was accompanied by some of his friends, namely Prince and Bright.The corpse has been deposited at the the UPTH morgue after the SUG President of River State University identified him.

“The friends were consequently arrested and detained at the Choba police station as investigations commence.”

Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Owunari Georgewill, said the swimming pool would only be opened to professional uses.

He said: “We wish to inform all staff and students that the University of Port Harcourt swimming pool is an Olympic size swimming pool and henceforth we are placing a ban on pleasure swimming in the pool.

“Kindly bear with us as this is done to forestall further unfortunate incidents as it happened yesterday, Sunday, 12th September 2021. We lost a student of Rivers State University who came to Swim for leisure with his three friends.”