Cultists kill four undergraduate students, security guard

Gunmen suspected to be cultists on Tuesday night killed four students of the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM) and a security guard at the boys’ hostel of the institution. It was learnt three of the students were bona fide students of the institution while the other was a visiting student.

When our correspondent visited the hostel yesterday, normal academic activities were disrupted as the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Emmanuel Kucha, principal officers and lecturers were in a marathon meeting to address the situation.
Sources said about 11pm on Tuesday, suspected cult members invaded Chamma Hostel and moved to Block D, Room 2 where they requested to see a student identified as Aye. But the four occupants of the room told the strange visitors that no one was by the name in the room.
The leader of the hostel, a 400 level Electrical Electronics student, Denen Ajodo, told our correspondent that while the gang leader was not convinced by the explanation of the occupants he asked one of his members to clear all the four students in the room. Ajodo said that while one of the suspected cult members tried to pull the trigger, one of the four students pleaded to spare their lives but he was shot.
The victim died later. On their way out, the suspected cult members shot the security man and two other students who were returning into the hostel. Ajodo said that the hostel was also invaded last Friday where some suspected cultists attempted to attack a student. He explained that the incident on Tuesday happened in a different hostel.
The VC, Kucha, who spoke with journalists, confirmed the attacks. He, however, said the management of the institution was doing everything possible to unearth causes of the attacks. The VC also confirmed that one of the victims was not his student.
He explained that the attacks took place at private hostels adjoining the university campus. Kucha added that the institution just concluded a meeting with stakeholders and resolved to engage the services of vigilance group to beef up security in the private hostels. Earlier, the Head of Information Unit of the institution, Mrs. Rosemary Waku, said that bodies of the victims had been deposited at Madona Hospital in Makurdi, while the injured ones were taken to Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Paul Yakadi, said six persons had been arrested in connection with the attack on Tuesday night. He said investigation was still going on. Alluding to the crime rate in the state, the commissioner said that the command was on top of the situation.
He added: “If you compare the crime rate now to the time I assumed office, you will discover that the difference is clear. Just a few days ago, we paraded eight persons in connection with snatching of okadas (motorcycles) and recovered 15 motorcycles.”http://newtelegraphonline.com/cultists-kill-four-undergraduate-students-security-guard/