THERE was pandemonium yesterday at the Government Reservation Area, GRA, in Benin City, Edo State, when a senior lecturer in the Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Benin, UNIBEN, Dr Balvant Rai, an Indian, was found dead few meters from his home.
The lifeless body was discovered in the early hours of yesterday, opposite the premises of the Edo State Ministry of Health.

Dr Rai, who Vanguard learnt had spent over 30 years in Nigeria, preferred trekking from Ugbowo to his GRA residence. Though it was yet to be ascertained what actually killed him, it was, however, believed that he probably died out of exhaustion after he trekked to his house under the down pour in Benin on Tuesday.
Some bruises were observed in his right elbow, which signified that he may have fallen hard on the rough surface of the tarred road. When Vanguard visited the scene at about 8:50am, policemen attached to the Aideyan Police Station and officials of UNIBEN came to take the corpse away in a 504 station wagon ambulance belonging to UNIBEN Health Services with registration number, FH 727 U50.
It was, however, observed that the back pocket of the late lecturer was turned out, which indicated that some hoodlums may have searched his pockets and taken away his cell phone.

The spokesman of the University, Osaze Osareren, who confirmed the incident, said the university authority had requested that an autopsy be carried out, just as he dismissed insinuations that the late lecturer might have been shot dead.
“There was no bullet wound, so that is ruled out. We will wait for the report of the autopsy before we can actually ascertain the cause of death,” he said.

UNIBEN!
this is bad, after 30 years?

How would d indians take it that their 'son' died on our road just like dat and his cellphone taken?, May his soul rest in peace.