Posted by By Osaro Okhomina on
FORTY-ONE (41) students of the Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma were yesterday arrested by the combined team of youths and Policemen in Ugbekun, Esan Cental Local Government Area of Edo State during a secret cult initiation ceremony in area.
BENIN CITY - FORTY-ONE (41) students of the Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma were yesterday arrested by the combined team of youths and Policemen in Ugbekun, Esan Cental Local Government Area of Edo State during a secret cult initiation ceremony in area.
Also, the Community Head of Ekpoma yesterday rose from their security meeting with the Ekpoma Police Division and the institution's Authority and ordered a restriction of movement in the area from 9:00pm over the alleged rise in the involvement of students in cult activities, rival clash and killings.
Vanguard gathered that the students were apprehended around 2:00am last Friday at the Ugbekun Community, several kilometers away from the University town, by youths of the Community led by the Onojie of Ugbekun.
It was gathered that the youths were attracted to the forest close to the community primary school by the movement of youths into the area at the odd hour. Police source attached to the Area Command where the 41 students are detained told Vanguard yesterday that the community head led the invasion of the venue of the initiation ceremony with youths armed with guns and charms, "we were called in later by the community head and we discovered these boys sitting dejectedly on the ground at the palace.
"We later took them away for interrogation."
It was gathered that at the height of the rival cult clash at the institution where 13 students were killed, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Agbomian had met with the heads of all neigbouring communities in the area to watch out for such suspicious movements and alert the police command or the institution.
Contacted on the development, the Institution's Director of Protocol, Information and Public Relations, Dr Don Akhilomen confirmed the incident but said the institution was still investigating the identity of the students and determine whether they were students of the institution or not.
Meanwhile, movement within the University town of Ekpoma was at the weekend restricted by the Elders of the Community over the alleged involvement of students in criminal activities. Vanguard found that along the Joemen, Berevil Hills and Imudumu areas, at the weekend, commercial motorcyclists popularly known as Okada have complied with the order.