No fewer than four students of the Imo State University Owerri were on Sunday feared dead after two rival cult groups clashed in Owerri, the state capital.

The bloody clash that threw the city into stampede was said to be between members of Aye and Bagger confraternities in the University.

According to a reliable source, the supremacy fight started at a students’ hostel in front of the University’s main gate.

The fracas resulted in pandemonium as students, including worshippers, scampered for safety.

According to a source within the university that pleaded anonymity, it took a Police detachment from the Anti cultism unit of the state Police Command restore normalcy.

The source disclosed that the gun battle between the rival cultists lasted for almost two hours adding that “the cult members are killing themselves.”

“They are students of Imo State University, Owerri. Nobody could immediately ascertain the actual cause of the clash but the shooting started at Delight hostel in front of IMSU gate.”

It was gathered that trouble started when the rival cult members started exchanging hot words at the hostel before it degenerated to a full fight which resulted in the use of guns and other dangerous weapons.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, could not be reached for comments but a police source who preferred not to be mentioned confirmed the clash.

The police source said that Policemen deployed from Orji Police Division and anti-cultism Unit of the Command quelled the crisis.

He, however, confirmed that the Police had arrested some of the cult members, adding that the fleeing ones were being trailed by the command.

He said “we have rounded up some of the suspects. They are in police custody at Orji Police Division. We are still combing the university for the ones on the run .”

Text (excluding headline) sourced from The Nation

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