The students were burnt in Omokere Aluu by some irate youths for allegedly stealing blackberry phones and laptops.

State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ben Ugwuegbulam, in a statement, said those arrested would be thoroughly quizzed over the incident.

The Police image maker was silent on whether the deceased students were robbery suspects or not, but appealed to their parents and students of the University not to take the laws into their hands as a result of the killings, and condemned the killing of the students.

He said: “Rivers State Police Command unequivocally condemns the gruesome killing of four UniPort students on October 5, by irate mob from Aluu community. The command sympathises with the families of the slain students and also appeals to them not to take the laws into their hands. Students of the university are urged not to engage in any reprisal attack as such could lead to chaos and anarchy.

“The command has commenced investigation into the incident. Amazing success has been recorded in that regard as 13 persons, including the chief of the community suspected to have been involved in the reprehensible, barbaric act, have been arrested based on credible intelligence and video clips of the killings. Suspects are being interrogated by crack police team.”