Suspected rival cultists recently battled and exchanged gunshots at the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The Nation claims that chaos broke among students on campus when two cult organisations, the ‘Vikings’ and ‘Clansmen’ confraternities clashed.
Reports said the clash happened during the ongoing Students’ Union Government week in the campus.
Most of the students had to leave the campus and academic activities were momentarily interrupted.
Reacting to the incident, a Port Harcourt-based rights activist, Charles Jaja, said the clash demonstrated that the administrators of the college had lost control of the campus.
Jaja called on the university officials to tackle the spate of cult-related violence in the campus.
Yesterday’s gunfire at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education is a sad reminder of what a university should not be. I think that the school management has lost control of its campus, he stated.
“There has to be a conscious effort on their part (management) to do things differently. And I think that they should study what was done at Rivers State University (sister school) when Prof. Barineme Fakae was the vice chancellor.
“The model he used was straightforward. “It was just enforcement of rules and intelligence driven security and swift sanctions which was what was needed to push cultism to the barest minimum and gave birth to the peace on the campus.”
This is what I advocate for, since at a time when a university which is supposed to be a place for character building, research and learning has suddenly become a theatre of cultism and violence. This is not acceptable.”
Also speaking, another rights activist and National Coordinator of the Center for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, Prince Wiro, expressed worry over the school’s recurring cult confrontations.
The recent disagreement, Wiro said, was embarrassing for both the institution and the state government.
“There have been reported cases of cult clashes in and around the university in the last one year before the latest incident on Monday. He said.
Such recurring incidences indicate that the security arrangements in the institution may not be adequate. This will also undermine parents’ belief in the University’s security system and a lot of parents will not want their children to register with the University.
“I use this medium to call on the Rivers State governor who is the Visitor to the institution to invite the leadership of the University with a view to discussing ways of improving security in and out of the institution,” he explained. Hire Grant Writers
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Blessing Agabe told our correspondent that the incident was a confrontation between rival gangs on campus.
But Agabe, an Assistant Superintendent of Police disputed reports that the gunshots heard during the clash were fired by police operatives.
“It was a clash of two cult groups,” she told. The Police responded quickly, arrived on time, brought the situation under control and the inquiry is ongoing.
“The Police did not fire any shots, and the officers only took preventative steps necessary to contain and arrest the situation. No fatalities. However, the members of the gangs fled the site and an investigation is underway to locate and apprehend the persons involved.
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