The management of the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, has denied reports that the killing of two of its students and three other persons were cult-related.

The Public Relations Officer of the university, Mr. Edward Aihevba, said while reacting the incident on Thursday.

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No fewer than five persons had been shot dead by gunmen suspected to be cultists on Tuesday evening, after a fight ensued between two persons at a bar located around Judges’ Quarters, in the Esan West Local Government Area of the state.

One of them was said to have claimed that he shirt was torn during the brawl and left the scene angrily only to return later with a group of armed men who opened fire, killing five persons.

Aihevba explained,

“The erroneous reports had it that some graduating students of the Ambrose Alli University, some said 12, 10 or six, were shot by cultists in a graduation party on campus. There was an incident that really happened in Ekpoma among a group of friends in a bar.

“It happened far away from the campus. Because it was not on the campus, of course, the police are the ones to investigate. We were not at the spot, so we rely on what the police saw and what their investigation confirmed.

“The incident, as revealed by the police, is that it took place in an area around Judges’ Quarters, far from the university. It was not cult-related and, most emphatically, not a jubilation party by graduating students.”

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The spokesman also claimed that the university had zero tolerance for cultism and had not recorded any in the past 15 years.

He added that an anti-cult group had been set up by the institution as part of measures to prevent the menace from infiltrating the school.

He said,

“It is unfortunate that the casualties include two students of the university and three ex-students. So, it is necessary to state clearly and unequivocally that cultism does not exist in the Ambrose Alli University.

“Wild jubilations do not exist in the university; the university is totally safe and devoid of cultism or any social vice.”

When asked to react to allegations that the institution was notorious for cult activities,” the PRO stated, “The general public, because of what happened over 20 years ago, are still in paranoia over cult activities in AAU.

“Cult activities in AAU do not exist anymore. In the past 15 years, there have not been cult activities in our university. We were shocked when a former commissioner of police, who was fed stories of what happened in 1997, went on air to link us with cult activities; it (cultism) does not exist anymore.”

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The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Johnson Kokumo, had told our correspondent on Wednesday that the incident was a clash between rival cult groups.

Kokumo had also said that no fewer than four suspects were arrested while arms and ammunition were recovered from them.

When our correspondent visited the residence of the former council chairman, Mr. Monday Abulu, on Oseghale Street, sympathisers were seen moving in and out of the premises.

Attempts to speak with the bereaved man were rebuffed by a middle-aged man, suspected to be relative, who insisted that the father of deceased was too distraught to speak to journalists.

Among the deceased were a final-year medical student of the school, identified as Dr. Einstein Chinedum; the son of a former council chairman, Ose Abulu; a corps member, identified as one Ugwi Martha; and one Jerry Omobude.