Tension as gunshots rock Rivers varsity cult clash

Gunshots erupted at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education in Rivers State, Nigeria, on Monday as suspected rival cultists engaged in a battle for supremacy. The violence between the 'Vikings' and 'Clansmen' confraternities occurred during the ongoing Students' Union Government week, sending students scrambling for safety amid the exchange of gunfire.

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Yesterday’s gunshot at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education is a sad reminder of what a university ought not to be, and I think that the school management has lost control of its campus.

A viral video depicted students fleeing as shots rang out, though no casualties were reported. Academic activities were temporarily halted as students sought refuge in classrooms and hostels.

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There must be a deliberate attempt by them (management) to do things differently. And I think that they should understudy what was done at the Rivers State University (sister institution) under the watch of Prof. Barineme Fakae as Vice Chancellor then.

Charles Jaja, a Port Harcourt-based rights activist, condemned the incident, stating it demonstrated the institution's management had lost control of the campus. He urged university authorities to implement stricter security measures and learn from past successes at other institutions, emphasizing the need for rule enforcement, intelligence-driven security, and swift sanctions.

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The model he used was simple. It was just enforcement of rules and intelligence-driven security and swift sanctions, which was what was needed to push cultism to the barest minimum and gave birth to the peace on the campus.

Prince Wiro, National Coordinator of the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, also expressed concern over the repeated cult clashes. He described the incident as embarrassing for the institution and the state government, suggesting that existing security arrangements might be inadequate and could erode parental confidence.

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This is what I advocate because at a time, a university which is supposed to be a place for character building, research and learning has now become a theatre for cultism and violence. This is unacceptable.