Uneasy Calm returned to Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State
on Monday after ex-Niger Delta militants clashed with suspected student
cultists on Sunday.
Some ex-militants were admitted to
the university under the Federal Government amnesty programme recently.
Two persons were reportedly beheaded
while several others sustained injuries during the clash, which reportedly
began at the main campus at about 5am.
State Police Commissioner, Olayinka
Balogun, said some cars were also destroyed during the clash.
Balogun, who said a truce had been
reached between the warring parties, added that over 50 riot policemen had been
deployed in the university and parts of Okada.
Our correspondent, who went round the
school, observed that normal academic activities had resumed.
It was learnt that the problem began
when suspected cultists at the institution allegedly attacked one of the
repentant militants, simply identified as Eric, a Law student.
The suspected cultists allegedly
burnt Eric’s Toyota Highlander and another vehicle owned by his friend.
According to sources, the development
led to retaliatory attacks by the ex-militants.
The police chief said, “Students have
their patterned behaviour, so they are likely once in a while to have some
frictions. There are some that are bona fide students there, but they are rehabilitated
militants. The other students like to refer to them as militants, which they
don’t like, and so there were frictions.
“One of them alleged they damaged his
vehicle and so, retaliation and that was why some cars were damaged.
“As soon as the VC called us, we
moved in and restored peace. There was a truce and peace has returned to the
school.”
The CP said five students suspected
to have triggered the clash had been arrested.
Balogun denied that dangerous weapons
were used during the disturbance, saying “the biggest weapon I saw with them
was a stick”.
In a statement, the Vice-Chancellor
of the university, Prof. Eghosa Osaghae, debunked reports of loss of lives
during the clash, attributing the disturbance to a misunderstanding among
students.
Meanwhile, the Presidential Amnesty
Office denied that ex-militant students instigated the attack.
In a statement on Monday by the Head,
Media and Communication of the PAO, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, the office said the
former warlords resisted an attempt by an unnamed cult group member to
intimidate one of their colleagues.
Alabrah said, “This clarification
became necessary to dispel inaccurate reports, which created the impression
that a group of ex-Niger Delta militants at the institution went on the rampage
and in the process beheaded two students.”