OAU under tight security over alleged threat of attack by cultists

Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ile, Osun State, has been under water-tight security in the last two weeks over alleged treat by some suspected cultists to attack the campus and kill people.

There have been threat message in circulation on the campus, purportedly issued by cultists. This led to the deployment of the Special Anti- Cultism Squad of the Osun State command of the Nigerian Police to the campus.

Also, personnel of other security agencies were deployed but despite that, majority of the university students stayed away from the campus, particularly on June 1t, that the threat message indicated for the attack.

Top security personnel told Eko Trust that security men would remain on the campus for the next couple of weeks to forestall the attack by the cultists.

A gang of cultists under a pseudonymous “Cultists of Aloha clan” had threatened to invade OAU campus on Saturday, June 1, 2019, “to rain bullets of death, sorrow and grief on innocent students”.

This threat caused panic on OAU campus and many students fled while those remained were apprehensive of their safely.

In its reaction, OAU management, in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer, Mr Abiodun Olanrewaju, assured that security agencies are on top of the situation.

However, the tension seemed to have subsided with the arrest of leaders of the dreadful cult gang on Friday, the eve of the D day, by the Anti-Cultism Squad of the Osun State Police Command.

A senior police officer told our correspondent that four leaders of Vikings Confraternity have been arrested. The suspected cultists, Wise Elkanah Musa Abubakar, Fakoya Adebayo, Ayodele Samson, and Anozia Emeka, were arraigned at Ile Ife Magistrate Court on Friday.

After their arraignment by the police prosecutor, Adebayo from the State Criminal Investigation Department, (SCID), Osogbo, Magistrate Olukunle Owolawi, remanded the suspects at the Ile-Ife prison and adjourned the case till July 19.

It was however, gathered that another treat message has been issued again by the cultists but OAU management stated that security men in the campus would not be withdrawn for the safety of lives of people.

A 400-level-student of the Department of English, Ruth Okoro, urged the students who fled the campus to return.

Meanwhile, students and visitors to the campus are being subjected to thorough screening before entering.