As a fall-out of last weekend’s cult violence in the Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU), where two students were beheaded, Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has ordered all proprietors of commercial hostels around all the campuses in the state to conduct a profiling exercise of all inmates in their hostels.

In a press statement issued on Wednesday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Godwin Adindu, the Governor said henceforth all proprietors of student commercial hostels must take responsibility for the activities that take place in their facilities and this will require that they take interest in the identity, background and profile of the students living in their hostels.

To achieve this, the Governor directed that the proprietors must conduct regular identity audit of the inmates of the hostels as to be able to ascertain the credibility of the persons in their custody, adding that student hostels will no more be operated as a mere business venture available to whoever that can pay the price.

The ABSU cult killing took place at Chidoo Hostel, which is about four kilometres away from the university. “Investigations have also confirmed that most of the cult attacks are hatched and launched from the off-campus hostels around the universities and polytechnics,” Mr. Adindu said.

He said that as a result of this, Governor Ikpeazu has ordered that “proprietors of student hostel must change the orientation and ensure that there is some measure of control and regulation which will help in the character development of the students, stressing also that they must make arrangement for security in the hostels that accommodate large number of students.”

“The Governor also directed that the profiling exercise should also be conducted by the admission office during admissions as to trace the history of the student and their previous engagements. Governor Ikpeazu said these measures have become necessary as a step towards combating the culture of terrorism among students,” Adindu added.

•Photo shows Governor Ikpeazu.

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