Tension gripped the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni, in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, after suspected rival cult groups engaged in a gun battle on Monday.
The groups, identified as the Vikings and Clansmen confraternities, reportedly clashed over supremacy during the university’s ongoing Students’ Union Government Week.
The immediate trigger for the confrontation was not known as of the time of filing this report.
A video circulating on social media showed students running for cover as gunshots rang out on the campus. The incident forced the temporary suspension of academic activities, with some students reportedly leaving the university while others sought refuge in classrooms and hostels.
No death was recorded in the incident.
A Port Harcourt-based rights activist, Charles Jaja, criticised the development, saying the repeated violence suggested that the university authorities needed to strengthen security on campus.
Jaja said, “Yesterday’s gunshot at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education is a sad reminder of what a university ought not to be. I think that the school management has lost control of its campus.
“There must be a deliberate attempt by them to do things differently. They should understudy what was done at Rivers State University under the watch of Prof. Barineme Fakae as Vice-Chancellor.
“The model was simple: enforcement of rules, intelligence-driven security and swift sanctions. These measures helped reduce cultism and restore peace on the campus.”
Another rights activist, Prince Wiro, the National Coordinator of the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, expressed concern over what he described as recurring cult-related incidents in and around the institution.
Wiro said, “There have been reported cases of cult clashes in and around the university in the last one year before the latest incident on Monday.
“Such repeated incidents suggest that the security arrangements in the institution may not be adequate. It could also erode parents’ confidence in the university’s security system and discourage some from enrolling their children there.”
He urged the Rivers State Governor, who is the visitor to the university, to meet with the institution’s management and explore measures to improve security.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command confirmed that the incident involved two rival cult groups.
The command’s spokesperson, Blessing Agabe, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said officers responded quickly to a distress call and succeeded in restoring order.
Agabe said, “It was a clash between two cult groups. The police responded promptly and arrived at the scene in good time, successfully bringing the situation under control.
“No shots were fired by the police. The officers only took proactive measures necessary to contain and arrest the situation. No lives were lost.
“Members of the groups fled the scene, while investigation is ongoing to identify and apprehend those involved.”
