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Police Speak On AAU Graduation Cult Clash That Left Many Dead

Published

6 years ago

September 19, 2018

The cult clash involving during a graduation party at the Ambrose Alli University has been confirmed by the police.
The Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Johnson Kokumo, has confirmed the killing of a student and four others injured at a graduation party of the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, on Wednesday.

According to a Punch report, Kokumo said it was a clash among members of rival cult groups.

Unconfirmed reports said that a final year medical student of the university and nine others were killed during the clash on Tuesday.

Kokumo, however, said that he could only confirm the death of one person while four others sustained gunshot wounds and were taken to an undisclosed hospital.

He further stated that no fewer than four suspects had been arrested, with arms and ammunition recovered from them.

The CP, who spoke to our correspondent on the telephone, said, “I am currently in Osun State for a national assignment. But the report reaching me does not confirm 10 (dead). I got a wind of it (incident) that five people were shot in a cult rivalry.

“The people at war were members of different cult groups. The shooting was as a result of cult rivalry; that is the information reaching me.

“Arrests have been made. I think four or six people have been arrested with weapons recovered. I do not know whether all of them (victims) actually died.

“But the information, as of yesterday (Tuesday) was that five people were shot, one was confirmed dead and the remaining four were taken to a hospital.

Efforts to reach the Public Relations Officer of the university, Mr. Edward Aihevba, were unsuccessful as he neither picked his calls nor responded to a text message sent to his mobile number.

But it was gathered that students of the institution had been living in fear since the incident occurred.

Some of them living outside the campus were said to have fled their hostels for the fear of a reprisal as they prepared to write their examinations.

A student, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, stated, “I heard about it (incident). People are afraid to leave the campus, especially as we preparing for our exams which will begin on Friday.

“The party was organised individually and different people attended. Some students prefer to hold their parties outside the school where they would not be interrupted by the university authority.”