Posted by The Port Harcourt Telegraph on
A final year student of the State University of Science and Technology in Port Harcourt was dispatched to an early grave Monday.
A final year student of the State University of Science and Technology in Port Harcourt was dispatched to an early grave Monday.
The killing is coming in the wake of cult rivalries on campus, which have already claimed several lives in and off campus.
In the last few months, there have been major differences between the Vikings and the Black Axe.
Not many on campus can say exactly what is behind it, but they agree the confrontation between the Vikings and their counterparts in the Black Axe movement is raising tension and threatening the value of human life.
Said a student who refused to disclose his name, "we are in trouble, not even the school authorities can help us."
Sources told this publication that the final-year student was thoroughly rough-handled by those who intercepted him.
Midway into the beating of their victim, one of them lifted a block of cement and hit it on his head.
The victim's head simply caved in, and he hit the ground as life gradually oozed out of him.
His attackers vanished, leaving him to his own fate while frightened onlookers rushed to the scene.
Said a student who refused to disclose his name, "we are in trouble, not even the school authorities can help us".
There is no indication that the school authorities are considering closure of the institution for now.
Presently, students are taking their exams, and not many within the student community want it aborted for any reason, even though there is a foreboding fear amongst them.
The state government recently outlawed the operation of commercial motorcycles on campus.
Government in reaching that decision, came to the conclusion that cult hit men use motorcycles referred to in local parlance as 'okada' to attack their opponents and make a fast break to avoid arrest or detection.
The latest killing obviously suggests cultism either at the university or within the larger Rivers community might be difficult to contain.
The cult movement became very entrenched during the era of the military when it was rumoured they were used to intimidate opponents within the university community.