10 killed in Imo cult clash

No fewer than 10 persons, mostly students, have been shot dead in the ongoing cult clash at the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Imo State.

Our correspondent gathered on Sunday that the clash between the Aiye and the Bagger confraternities had lasted for over 10 days.

The development has heightened tension in the area even as some residents have fled their homes.

A student of the polytechnic, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said the clash had affected academic programmes in the school.

He said the development had made the school’s management to impose a curfew that no student in the various hostels should go out or come in after 6pm.

The source said, “Please help us to inform the police because our lives are in danger. For 10 days now, there have been serious clashes between two cult groups. They said it was a supremacy war. No fewer than 10 persons have been shot dead.

“Since I gained admission to this polytechnic, I have never seen it this bad. The gunshots are frightening, please don’t mention my name.”

An indigene of one of the host communities, who did not want his name in print, said since the cult clash started, the residents had been locking themselves in their houses.

“Here in Umudibia Nekede, we are sleeping with our eyes wide opened. There was a boy they killed around our neighbourhood few days ago. The boys are members of different cult groups and are on rampage. “Please inform security agencies to come to our rescue immediately,” the indigene said.

A detachment of personnel from the Imo State Police Command had cordoned off the areas and made some arrest.

It was gathered that among those gunned down were Cyriacus Ekejumba and Chidi Obilonu.

While the locals insist that 10 persons had been killed, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Orlando Ikeokwu, stated that only four persons had lost their lives.

He also told our correspondent that some suspects, including one bearing a gun, had been arrested.

Ikeokwu said the operation, which led to the arrest of the suspects, was carried out by the anti-cultism department of the command in collaboration with the Nekede Division.

The police spokesperson gave the names of the arrested suspects as Kalu Chibueze, Obinna Ojike, Amadi Nnaemeka, Iwuagwu Martins, Chiamaka John, Nnesoma John, Kingsley Nwogu and Uche Chimebere.

The Rector of the polytechnic, Martin Aligbe, who spoke to our correspondent on the telephone on Monday, said, “We have not confirmed any of the victims to be our student. The cult clashes are happening in the villages, they are not happening on the campus.

“But our concern is that our students live in the villages, where these clashes are taking place. We have equally reached out to the police.”