A 100-level student of the Rivers State University (RSU) reportedly drowned in the University of Port Harcourt’s (UniPort) swimming pool on Sunday, September 12.
The student, identified as “Emmanuel,” who had reportedly gone with some friends to the Olympic-size swimming pool at the Sports Complex, Abuja Campus, drowned while he was swimming.
Emmanuel, an Ogun State native and student of the Faculty of Marine Engineering, was at the pool with three of his friends.
Police reportedly got wind of the incident soon after it occurred, visiting the scene and detaining two of the friends at Choba Police Station for interrogation.
Emmanuel’s corpse has been deposited at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) mortuary
UniPort management has meanwhile placed a ban on pleasure swimming at the pool facility.
University spokesman Sam Kpenu confirmed the drowning incident to reporters, disclosing that the remains of the student had been deposited at the morgue.
“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 UPTH morgue after the SUG President of RSU identified him. The friends were consequently arrested and detained at the Choba police station as investigations commence,” Kpenu was quoted as saying.
UniPort Vice Chancellor Prof Owunari Georgewill, said the swimming pool would only be opened for professional use.
We wish to inform all staff and students that the University of Port Harcourt that the swimming pool is an Olympic-size 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,” the VC stated.
( Daily Sun)
