Rickson, a pastor, a bus driver and two others are being detained at the Edo State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department .
The detainees were returning from a retreat at a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God on Sapele Road, Benin , Edo State , on Sunday , July 2 , when they encountered a speeding truck .
The driver was said to have zigzagged to escape a collision with the truck . Later , it was discovered that the unidentified church member was bleeding from the head . He eventually died at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital .
The Edo State Police Public Relations Officer , Moses Nkombe, had declined comment on the incident , saying he would never talk .
The Dean of Students ’ Affairs , UNIBEN , Prof . Benson Osadolor , had said efforts to secure Rickson ’ s release on bail so he could sit for the ongoing exams had proved abortive .
However , the PRO Students ’ Union Government of the institution , Ehiabhi Goodnews, said Monday that Rickson gave a “ blow - by -blow account ” of the incident when a delegate of the SUG visited him in detention .
He said , “ This is what actually happened . Uche (Rickson) was coming from a vigil at a parish of the RCCG in the GRA on Sapele Road.
“ They boarded a public bus and he ( Rickson) sat beside the church member . When everything was going on , Uche (Rickson) was asleep .
“ A trailer was coming from opposite direction and the bus driver swerved to dodge the trailer.
“ The phone of the deceased , who was sitting close to the window , fell outside . The driver stopped and someone alighted to pick the phone. The person discovered there were bloodstains on the phone. He enquired for the owner . At that point , it was discovered that the deceased was bleeding from the head . That was when Uche woke up . They rushed the deceased to the Central Hospital . He also attended the vigil , but Uche said he didn ’ t know his name .
“ The hospital referred them to the UBTH . It was when they got there that they called the parents of the deceased . The driver immediately took his bus to a car wash and washed the bloodstains on the vehicle .
“ The boy died in the arms of his mother . That was when the police were invited . The police came and arrested everybody on the bus . The driver ’ s action made it look as if the boy was murdered . So , our student was arrested because he was at the scene , not that he had any direct link. ”
Goodnews said students refrained from staging a protest at the SCIID because of others involved in the police investigation . He , however , said the SUG would meet with the school authorities to mount pressure on the police to conclude the investigation on time .
“ When the case is charged to court , we will get a lawyer to ensure that he is granted bail. When we saw him , he said he was not being maltreated and that was why we are calm, ” he added .
The state Commissioner of Police , Haliru Gwandu , and the Police Public Relations Officer , Moses Nkombe , could not be reached for comments .
Several calls put across to Nkombe ’ s telephone line went unanswered , while a text message sent to him and the CP had yet to be responded to as of press time.
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