SAD! Pleasure Seeking RSU Student Drowns At University Of Port Harcourt Swimming Pool

By Rossie Tam-West

A year-one student of the Rivers State University (RSU) obviously on pleasure trip with his friend, has drowned in the University of Port Harcourt (Uniport) swimming pool.

AtlanticNewsonline gathered that the student simply identified as Emmanuel, had gone for pleasure swimming with some of his friends from their River State University (RSU) located many kilometers away to the University of Port Harcourt Olympic-size swimming pool in the University’s Sports Complex located in the main campus popularly known as “Abuja Campus.”

The deceased who hailed from Ogun State and student of the Faculty of Marine Engineering at RSU 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 subsequently 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.

AtlanticNewsonline source revealed that University of Port Harcourt management has placed a ban on pleasure swimming in the facility as a result of this tragic incident.

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 Students Union President of River State University identified him.

“The friends were consequently arrested and detained at the Choba police station as investigations commence to ascertain how the incident actually occurred.”

Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Owunari Georgewill, said that henceforth, 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.”