Cultists invade university in Bayelsa, kill one student

Etim Effiong

Gunmen suspected to be cultists on Wednesday shot James Okunmakpeye dead, a 200-level student of the Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State.

Okunmakpeye was a student of marketing at the Faculty of Management Science of the Institution. He was said to be shot in the head at close range around 11 am while standing by the door of his lecture room and the bullet tore through the right eye.

It was learnt that many of his colleagues and the lecturer, ran out of the lecture room for cover, while the body of the deceased was left in his pool of blood.

Some female students that witnessed the killing were seen shedding tears and lamenting over his death.

The Public Relations Officer of the Institution, Ingezi Idoni, who confirmed the shooting which to Okunmakpeye’s death, assured newsmen that the institution’s authority is investigating the incident and have contacted security personnel on what had happened.

Idoni said the deceased was shot dead during lecture hours.

“There was a lecturer in the class during the incident. He was shot by the door of the lecture room. He was late to the class and was being asked to come into the lecture hall.

“While he was offering reasons for his lateness, someone came from behind and shot him.”

“The culprit, after carrying out the dastardly act, ran towards the Ogunbiri side of the institution where the perimeter fencing has failed and escaped.

“We are using this opportunity to call on the State Government to assist the institution in the completion of the perimeter fencing of the school to assist in proper security of lives and property of the institution,” Idoni said.

The spokesman of the Bayelsa State Police Command, Astimin Butswat, who also confirmed the killing, said he is waiting for details from the Divisional Headquarters in Ammassoma.