Gunshots as Rival Cultists Clash at Ignatius Ajuru University, Rivers State

Suspected rival cultists caused chaos at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education on Monday. The clash happened in Rumuolumeni, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. Gunshots rang out as the groups fought for control.

What Was the Cause of the Conflict?

The fight involved two rival cult groups. These groups are known as the Vikings and the Clansmen confraternities. Both groups were battling for supremacy on campus.

The exact cause of the clash is still unclear. But the violence broke out during the university’s Students’ Union Government Week.

Students Scramble for Safety

A video of the incident went viral on social media. The video showed students running for safety. Gunshots could be heard in the background. No casualties were recorded during the clash.

Academic activities stopped right after the incident. Many students left the campus. Others hid in classrooms and hostels. They wanted to avoid stray bullets.

Activists React to the Cult Clash

Port Harcourt-based rights activist Charles Jaja spoke about the incident. He said the clash shows the university has lost control of its campus.

Jaja called on university authorities to act fast. He said the school needs to tackle rampaging cultists. He called this situation unacceptable for any university.

Jaja explained his view. He said the recent gunshots are a sad reminder of what a university should never be. He believes the school’s management has lost control of the campus.

He suggested a solution. He pointed to Rivers State University as an example. That school reduced cultism under former Vice Chancellor Prof. Barineme Fakae. The method was simple. It involved strict enforcement of rules. It also involved intelligence-driven security and swift sanctions. This approach helped bring peace to that campus.

Jaja stressed that a university should be a place for learning. He said it should build character, not host cultism and violence. He called the current situation unacceptable.

A Pattern of Repeated Clashes

Prince Wiro is another rights activist. He serves as National Coordinator for the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign. Wiro expressed concern over the repeated cult clashes at the school.

He called the latest clash embarrassing. He said it reflects badly on both the institution and the state government.

Wiro noted a troubling pattern. He said there have been multiple cult clashes in and around the university over the past year. He believes these repeated incidents point to weak security arrangements.

Wiro warned this could hurt the university’s reputation. Parents may lose confidence in the school’s security. Some parents may choose not to enroll their children there.

Wiro called on Rivers State’s governor to step in. The governor also serves as the university’s visitor. Wiro wants the governor to meet with university leadership. The goal would be to discuss better security measures on and around campus.

Police Respond to the Incident

The state police spokesperson, Blessing Agabe, confirmed the clash. She verified it was a fight between two rival cult groups.

Agabe is an Assistant Superintendent of Police. She denied that police officers fired any shots during the incident. She said officers responded quickly to a distress call. The police arrived at the scene and restored calm.

Agabe gave more details on the response. She said the clash involved two cult groups. Police arrived promptly and brought the situation under control. She confirmed no shots came from police officers. She also confirmed no lives were lost.

She added that members of the cult groups fled the scene. Investigations are ongoing. Police aim to identify and arrest those involved.

Source: punchng.com

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Daniel Dappa

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