KEY POINTS

• A nurses’ group condemned the alleged rape and murder of Imo student nurse, Chinwendu Achumba.
• The forum blamed worsening insecurity and demanded justice, compensation and stronger protection for female students.
• Police reportedly arrested a tyre technician who allegedly confessed to the crime alongside another suspect.

The Elegant Nurses Forum has condemned the killing of Miss Chinwendu Achumba, a student of the College of Nursing Sciences, Umuadara Umulogho in Imo State, describing the incident as tragic and inhumane.

According to the group, the young nursing student was allegedly raped and murdered inside her room by attackers who reportedly forced their way into her residence. Reports said her throat was slit during the attack.

In a statement issued by the forum’s National Coordinator, Nurse Thomas Abiodun Olamide, the group said it received news of the incident with “shock, pain and anger,” adding that the killing reflects the growing insecurity facing women and students across Nigeria.

Nurses’ Forum Blames Rising Insecurity

The forum criticised both the Imo State Government and the Federal Government over what it described as the failure to adequately protect citizens, especially female students and young professionals.

The group lamented that many women now live in fear due to increasing cases of rape, violence and insecurity, stressing that nurses remain among the most neglected professionals despite their role in saving lives.

It described Achumba’s death as heartbreaking, noting that a young woman with dreams of serving humanity had her life cut short in a cruel manner.

The nurses’ group called for a thorough investigation and prosecution of everyone linked to the crime, insisting that justice must be transparent and publicly seen to be done.

It also urged the Imo State Government to support the victim’s family, take responsibility for her burial and immortalise her by naming a public facility or hostel after her.

The forum further demanded stronger security measures around schools and student residences, improved hostel facilities, and stricter punishment for rape and gender-based violence in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, police reportedly arrested a tyre technician identified as Onyema Okonkwo in connection with the incident.

According to reports, the suspect allegedly confessed that he and another man entered the victim’s residence, raped her and later killed her before fleeing with her phone.