On Sunday, June 9, 2024, a heart-wrenching incident unfolded involving two students of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University. Ifunanya Miracle, also known as Bliss, and her friend Peace, a student of the Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, faced a life-threatening situation while riding in a tricycle.
According to reports, an unidentified passenger attempted to rob them of their belongings. In a desperate bid to escape, both students leapt from the moving vehicle. Tragically, Ifunanya sustained severe head injuries upon hitting the ground, leading to her untimely death. Peace, though injured, was rushed to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital and is currently receiving treatment.
Ifunanya, known for her entrepreneurial spirit, ran a Point-of-Sale (PoS) operation on campus throughout her studies. A student, who spoke to Punch on the condition of anonymity, recounted the events: “Miracle just graduated from the university and does a Point-of-Sale operation in the school. The incident happened around 7 pm on June 9, 2024. She does her PoS business at the front of my residence. She usually packed her business stuff under the staircase in our compound and the stuff is still there. She packed it and put it back there in the evening. But all of a sudden, we just heard that she was dead.”
Another student revealed that the man who demanded their belongings later claimed it was a prank. Unconfirmed reports suggest that he reported himself to the police. “We heard the guy has reported himself at the police station and claimed it was a prank. How can he be pranking someone on a moving tricycle? After the incident, we have not heard anything. This lady (Miracle) just died because of the carelessness of some people who claimed to be pranksters.”
Dr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, the university spokesperson, confirmed the incident, noting that it was indeed a prank gone wrong. “The university is fully aware of the incident. It was not a robbery but a very expensive prank. The students were told to bring their phones but they didn’t know it was a prank. So, they jumped, one died and one survived. The families of the victims and that of the final-year student who pranked the victims have held a meeting with us and it was established that it was a prank.”
The university has expressed deep regret over the incident and has promised disciplinary measures against the prankster, a final-year student, following Miracle’s burial. “The families have reached some agreement, and we want the process of the burial to take place before the student that pranked them will face disciplinary measures. It was an unfortunate incident; the school regrets it, the student who pranked them regrets it, and the family of the concerned student will take responsibility for the funeral of the dead victim and the hospital bill of the other student. We use this opportunity to warn students to avoid expensive pranks that lead to death; the person will face the music.”
This incident serves as a tragic reminder of the severe consequences of thoughtless actions, emphasizing the need for caution and responsibility among students.