No fewer than 25 students of the Federal Polytechnic Oko in Anambra State have been arrested by a combined team of Anti Cult Group of the institution for cult activities.

It was gathered that some cult groups from other institutions of higher learning planned a mass recruitment of members, comprising students of Federal Polytechnic Oko and indigenes of communities surrounding the institution but the polytechnic’s vibrant Anti Cult Group through its intelligence report got wind of the plot and alerted the police and other security agencies who jointly swooped on the miscreants at their initiation ground in the early hours of Sunday and arrested them.

Reacting to the arrest of some members of cult groups in Amaokpala, a stone throw to the Polytechnic, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the institution, Mr. Obini Onuchukwu, said the arrest became possible because of the sophisticated intelligence network put on ground by the Rector of the Polytechnic, Prof. Godwin Onu to check nefarious activities in the area.

He said that activities of cultists in the institution have been brought to a zero level.

It would be recalled that some years ago, members of various cult groups voluntarily renounced their membership before the polytechnic community and further performed a ritual popularly known as ‘Sinking the Ship’, meaning that such cult groups would never operate in that location for a period of not less than five years.

The PRO, however, stated that despite the renunciation the rector in his style of leadership fortified the Anti Cult Group to check any further activities of any cult group.

He said, “Cultism is one area the rector popularly known as the digital rector has done so well.

“The three campuses of the Polytechnic are operating at a zero level presence of cultism due to his proactive style of leadership and preparations.

“It is on record that the host communities can at least sleep with their two eyes closed on issue of cultism since Onu came on board unlike in the past. Our anti cult group is doing well such that other institutions within the state come to hire their services.

“The rector has established rapid response and quick intervention and other sub anti cult groups to sustain the fight against cultism.

“The Rector has zero tolerance for cultism, examination malpractice, fighting and other nefarious activities and does not spare any student indicted on any of such crimes as every student at the entry point is served the riot act against cultism and related offences.”

The image maker, however, urged both staff and students of the Polytechnic to go about their academic businesses as there is no cause for alarm adding that the suspects had since been handed over to the Police.

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