Cultists killed final year varsity student in Cross River State

Anti cultism

A final year student of Elementary Education department from Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH), Felix Egot, was yesterday killed by suspected cultists near the Students’ Union Government (SUG) secretariat in the school premises.

The student, popularly known as Felix, from Abi local government area of the state, was gunned down at about 3:30p.m. while he was walking around in the company of his friends on campus.

This is coming less than three months after another final student, one suspected cult leader, James, from Abi local government area, was stabbed to death in similar fashion at an examination hall in the university.

The incident has thrown the institution into panic as many students have taken off from campus for fear of reprisal attacks just as they were celebrating the students’ cultural week.

According to an eyewitness, Udo Ekpo, Felix assailants were said to have come in from one of the bush paths and shot sporadically into the air before opening bullets on the deceased.

Ekpo said the deceased was just having a rollicking time as the school was getting to the peak of its cultural week before he was shot dead very close to the Students Union Government secretariat. He said the gang, numbering about five escaped through the same bush part after they had executed their job successfully.

Another eyewitness said Egot’s assailants came in through a bush path while some others were loitering around the area on the ground to monitor the victim, who was shot at, stabbed and his throat severed.

The source said: “The assailants numbering about five came into the school premises from a community behind the school and laid wait for their victim before striking. Immediately they saw him, they went for him and shot him severally. After he fell to the ground, they approached him and severed his neck and throat with machetes probably in a bid to take off his head.

“But they later left him and escaped through the same bush path they came from before student had the courage to gather or pursue after them. Two female students sustained little brushes from stray bullets.”

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Irene Ugbo, confirmed the death of the undergraduate on the telephone. Ugbo said policemen were already on ground to maintain peace in the institution as well as forestall a breakdown of law and return calm to the place.

She said: “As we speak, our men are on the ground at the venue of the incident. The cult clash claimed one life of an undergraduate. He was killed through a gunshot. The Divisional Police Officer in that area is on the ground now and the area is under control.”

It would be recalled that last week, a popular bookseller at CRUTECH, in its Calabar campus was found dead in Hall 2 hostel. The cause of death was not immediately known. An eyewitness said the deceased also sells pens, visual art materials and snacks in front of Hall 3 Hostel and he is most popular for his generosity.

Source; Guardian News Nigeria