Cultists behead students, use heads as goalposts

Suspected cultists on Saturday night beheaded two  undergraduates of the Abia State University,  Uturu, and thereafter  used their heads as goalposts.

Cult clash

Our correspondent learnt that their roommate sustained severe injuries from machete cuts by the hoodlums.

The deceased  identified as Ebuka Nwaigbo,  a 300 level student of the Department of Estate Management,  and Samuel Ethelbert,  300 level student of the Department of Political Science,  were until their death living at Chi-Doo Lodge along  the Uturu-Afikpo road.

Investigations by our correspondent revealed that their  killers were members of a rival cult group on a revenge mission for one of their members  killed last month.

A    source,  who craved anonymity, said  the cult groups – Burkinafaso and Mafia – had engaged each other in a battle of supremacy  for years in the university.

He said, “Last month, one Collins Agwu, a member of  Burkinafaso,  was gunned down by the Mafia.

“His colleagues  (Burkinafaso)  decided to retaliate  by killing members of the Mafia.

“That night they came to the lodge  on   four motorbikes  carrying four persons each and they forced themselves in when one of the students living there came out to buy Indomie Noodles.

“They beheaded their targets while the third person, their visitor,  was seriously wounded.

“After killing them they carried their heads and bodies in a sack bag and took it to a playground where they (cult boys) normally play football near the school gate and mounted their heads as goalposts.”

When our correspondent visited the university community, top  officers of the school were said to be having  a crucial meeting.

Spokesman for the institution Acho Elendu said the  school  would make comments  after the meeting.

Meanwhile,  there has been a  heavy police   presence at the school since the incident occurred.

The  Abia State Police Public Relations Officer, Ezekiel Onyeke Udeviotu,  who confirmed the development,  said the state Commissioner of Police Joshiak Habilah had ordered the Criminal Investigation Department to commence investigation into the murder of the students.

He said, “We are willing to invite any member of the public with any useful information that could lead to the arrest of  criminals to our office if such a person is afraid of giving the information to police officers.”

Cultists behead students, use heads as goalposts

Police in Edo arrest 30 suspected cultists, kidnappers

BENIN — Edo State  police command   has arrested 30 suspected cultists and 20 kidnappers engaged in cult activities and the kidnap of prominent persons in the state.

Cultists in Edo State

The Commissioner of Police, Samuel Adegbuyi, who disclosed this while briefing journalists on the current security situation in the state, said the kidnap suspects were intercepted by the highway patrol teams of the command at various locations in the state.

He noted that while the suspects had confessed to the crimes with 107 arms and ammunition recovered from them,15 of their victims had been rescued.

Adegbuyi disclosed that the command arraigned 227 cultists in May, 2015, saying an additional 30 suspected cultists were undergoing interrogation and would be charged to court subsequently.

“Apart from the 227 high profile cultists arraigned in court between May 2 and 9 this year, we have 20 suspects who have confessed to have kidnapped various prominent individuals in the state and even outside the state.

“Fifteen victims of kidnapping have been rescued. Nine AK47 rifles were recovered in the process. One Beretta pistol and about 60 locally made weapons as well as some paraphernalia of military outfits were also recovered,’’ he added.

He   explained that as part of proactive measures by the Inspector-General of Police, several highway patrol vehicles had been deployed in locations within the state, including Benin-Lagos Road, Benin-Agbor Road, Benin-Akure Road, Auchi-Okpella Road, Ibilo, Ehor and Benin Bypass.

The CP, who described some of the suspects as “travelling criminals” not resident in Edo but who used the state as an escape route, commended the efforts of local vigilante groups, who used their knowledge of the terrain to aid the command in tracking down criminals, even at odd hours.

 

Police in Edo arrest 30 suspected cultists, kidnappers