•Behead 4 students, vow to kill 21 more 

By Sam Otti 

TWO male students of the Abia State University (ABSU), Uturu, were on Sunday night beheaded by suspected cultists in their off-campus residence. Another unconfirmed report indicated that two other students were also beheaded during the early hours on Monday, bringing the number of those slain to  four.

The victims identified as Chukwuebuka Nwaigbo, 300 level, Estate Management and Samuel Nwokolo, 300 level, Political Science students were murdered in their apartment at Childoo Lodge, near the campus gate.

Other students that suffered degrees of machete attacks were rushed to nearby hospitals  in the state for treatment. One of the survivors, Ummasoro ThankGod, a 300 level Political Science student, had his hands severed with cutlass by the assailants.

Daily Sun learnt that tension escalated in the area, following recent clashes by rival cult groups, Burnifaso and Mafia, in their contest for supremacy on campus. The clash, it was  gathered, led to the death of an alleged member of Mafia group, Collins Agwu, a final year Microbiology student two weeks ago. He was buried on Sunday.

Shortly after his burial, suspected Mafia cultists went berserk to appease the spirit of the deceased, beheading two students at Childoo Lodge, an off-campus residence for students. The rival group reportedly vowed to behead 21 fresh human heads, before they sheathe their swords.

It was gathered that the girl friend of one of the beheaded students also received a machete cut on her head, but escaped with her life.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof Eleazar Uchenna Ikonne, reportedly visited the scene and urged the warring groups to desist from cultism and other social vices.

Although the scene of the incident falls outside the campus, Prof Ikonne assured the students living in the area that the school treasured the security of her students living outside the campus.

The Vice Chancellor advised students living in school hostels to desist from late movements and illegal associations that could jeopardise their academic future.

One of the students, who pleaded not to be mentioned in this report, said fear had descended on both the staff and students of the institution.

“We learnt that one of the cult groups threatened to behead 21 students in retaliation for one of their members that was killed. With four feared dead, they are hunting for more 17 heads. We are afraid because no one knows the next victim,” he said.