Rivers Varsity Plunged into Chaos as Rival Cults Exchange Gunfire

A violent clash between two rival cult groups, identified as 'Vikings' and 'Clansmen', erupted on the campus of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education in Rivers State on Monday. The confrontation, which was part of the ongoing Students' Union Government week, resulted in a barrage of gunshots that sent students scrambling for cover. Fortunately, no casualties were reported. However, academic activities were temporarily suspended as students sought refuge in classrooms and hostels to avoid being hit by stray bullets. According to eyewitnesses, the clash was a battle for supremacy between the two cult groups. The immediate cause of the violence could not be determined, but it was evident that the university's management had lost control of the campus. Charles Jaja, a Port Harcourt-based rights activist, condemned the incident, stating that the university management had failed to address the cultism issue. Jaja suggested that the management should adopt a more proactive approach, similar to the one used by Prof. Barineme Fakae, the former Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University, which involved enforcing rules, using intelligence-driven security, and imposing swift sanctions to curb cultism. Another rights activist, Prince Wiro, expressed concern over the repeated cult clashes in the university, describing the latest incident as embarrassing to the institution and the state government. Wiro called on the Rivers State Governor to convene a meeting with the university leadership to discuss ways to enhance security on campus. The State Police Command confirmed that the gunshots were a result of a clash between rival cult groups and not from police operatives. The police responded promptly to the incident, restoring calm and launching an investigation to identify and apprehend those involved.