The Police Command in Akwa Ibom on Wednesday confirmed reports of a cult clash between the Black Axe and Vikings Confraternities at the University of Uyo campuses.

A student of the school was on Tuesday hacked to death by suspected cultists on the ‘annexe campus’ of the university.

The body of the victim, who has been identified as Fatherwills Ukpangere, a 300-level student of the Department of Communication Arts, was found behind the Barth Ebong auditorium, where the crime reportedly occurred.

According to a witness, the victim was killed by four students suspected to be members of the Black Axe cult.

“Four guys walked into that Barth Ebong area, later I heard gunshots which caused everyone around to run for safety. They came out and escaped through the gate unhindered, after the act,” the witness said.

The victim’s body had cuts on the head and body and was taken away by the police.

The Akwa Ibom State Police Public Relations Officer, MacDon Odiko, confirmed the incident. He said the body of the victim has been deposited at the mortuary.

The Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Odiko MacDon, who confirmed the incident to newsmen in Uyo, said the Police were aware of the incident and that normalcy had returned to the campuses.

“The Commissioner of Police is trying to meet with the management of the university to plan how to tackle the issue and ensure adequate security in the university,” he said.

A student of the university who preferred anonymity lamented incessant attacks by cult groups apparently from outside the varsity campuses.

He said that one student was killed in the afternoon of Tuesday at the UNIUYO main campus, while three others were killed at the permanent site of the university at about 9pm on the same day.

“Before the last matriculation that held on Wednesday, April 17, there were shoot-outs; and during the matriculation, there were clashes between cult groups.

“Just yesterday (Tuesday), a student was shot dead during a clash between two cult groups at the Annex campus.

“I heard that three other students were shot dead last night (Tuesday) at the Main Campus at Nwaniba, making it four dead persons on the campuses,” he said.

Also speaking, a student of Faculty of Arts, Mr Boniface Bassey, called on the state government to intervene.

He suggested that the school management should bring plain-clothes security personnel to secure the institution.

Bassey further called on the management of UNIUYO to arrest perpetrators of the clashes.

“Officers in mufti should come into the campuses and work with the school security to get the perpetrators,” he said.

Director of Information, University of Uyo, Mrs Blossom Okorie, confirmed the incident but said she was not in the position to speak further on it.

“We have reported the matter to the Police and I cannot comment on it,” she said.

She added that the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Eniefiok Essien, is the only person to speak on the issue.

(NAN)