The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has said that its operatives are on the trail of a roadside petrol dealer in the university town of Obio Akpa in Oruk Anam Local government area of the state.
State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO,
Odiko Macdon, explained that the suspect was declared wanted for setting an undergraduate student ablaze, over alleged sale of adulterated fuel.
Macdon noted that the suspect, now at large, reportedly fled the scene of the crime after setting the victim on fire following an argument with him.
The victim's name was given as Enwongo Akpan, a 200-level student of the Department of Philosophy, Akwa Ibom State University, AKSU.
It was gathered that Akpan had bought petrol worth N500 from the suspect and later discovered it was adulterated when it failed to start his generator.
He was reported to have returned the petrol to the seller and demanded a refund of his money from the suspect, an action that sparked an argument between the duo.
Police sources said it was in the heat of the argument, that the suspect collected the petrol, poured it on the victim, and struck matches on him while people around scampered for safety.
However, the victim was later rescued by villagers and other students while the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Nse Essien, was alerted over the incident.
Meanwhile, Prof Essien had directed that the victim be taken to a popular hospital in Abak for immediate attention, after which he was moved to another medical facility for better treatment.
But, according to Macdon, the police were already on the trail of the suspect and would soon apprehend him with a view to bringing him to justice.