August 23, (THEWILL) – A 20-year old male engineering undergrauate of the Rivers State University, whose identity could not be immediately ascertained, was shot dead on Thursday morning by an assailant suspected to belong to a rival cult group, a development which caused panic in the institution in the early hours of the day.
The incident, it was gathered, occured around 11.am, shortly after the students finished writing their first semester examinations.
A source at the university, who craved anonymity, told THEWILL that gunshots heard during the attack on the deceased caused pandemonium on campus.
Our correspondent, who visited the campus shortly after the incident, observed that calm had been restored as students could be seen going about their normal academic activities and security men were seen at strategic points within the campus.
A student, who preferred anonymity, said the victim was a 400 level undergraduate from the Engineering faculty.
He said, “I don’t think he was innocent because I don’t know what he was looking for at the Management Sciences faculty where he was shot in the head. I learnt that one of the suspects called Peruzi was later apprehended by the school security and officers attached to Nkpolu Divisional Police headquarters, Mile three Diobu. The suspect is a member of Vikings cult group, while his victim is a member of Ku Klux Klans (KKK) cult group.”
When contacted, the Police Public Relation Officer, Rivers State Command, SP Nnamdi Omoni who confirmed the incident, said the details of the incident were still sketchy.
Meanwhile, following the incident, the University Registrar, Dr Sydney Enyindah in a press statement has assured members of the public that institution was safe for academic activities, adding that the culprit had been arrested and an investigation initiated by the Police.
The statement reads, “The Rivers State University wishes to inform parents and the general public to ignore reports in the social media attempting to present the university as unsafe. We would like to state categorically that the university is safe, the first semester examination and all other activities in the university are going on without a hitch.
“There was an incident this morning in the university, resulting in the death of a student for which arrest has been made and the matter is currently being investigated by the police.”
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