Police, Kwara Poly bicker over cult killings

The Nigeria Police Force, Kwara State Command, has disagreed with the authorities of the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, which claimed that there was no cult clash in the institution and that nobody died over cult-related matter since last Thursday.

Flanked by the Deputy Rector, Academics, Mrs. O.O. Ajibade, and some other officials of Kwara Poly, the Deputy Rector, Administration, of the Polytechnic, Mr. Ahmed Aminu, who spoke to journalists on Tuesday on behalf of the Rector, Mr. Mas’ud Elele, had claimed that there was no cult clash in the institution.

He also said the 2015/2016 Student Union Government election screening of the institution was successful, peaceful and witnessed by security operatives.

Aminu said, “There was no cult clash in the Kwara State Polytechnic. The polytechnic finished its second semester examinations for the 2014/2015 academic session on August 8, without any hitches. Circulars were issued to that effect and students had vacated the campus. The lecturers are now going through the conference marking exercise.”

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But the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ajayi Okesanmi, on Tuesday in Ilorin, said five suspected cultists had stormed the school last Thursday and attacked another suspected cultist, Azeez Lanre, a.k.a. Paparazzi, who later died.

He stated that police officers, who were on surveillance duty around the institution, were attracted by the gunshot, adding that they dashed to the school in an attempt to apprehend the fleeing assailants.

Okesanmi added that while trying to rescue and take the victim, to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, the assailants escaped.

The PPRO said that the police however recovered a gun used by the assailants which was left in the institution’s premises.

Okesanmi said, “We have officially two persons that were killed. One in the polytechnic, and another, at the Ajase Road, opposite a hotel. One person was equally struck with a machete and he is receiving treatment at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital.

“Actually, I do not know the genesis of the matter. The fact remains that the school itself is not really giving us the details of the information we need.

“The one that died at the polytechnic was shot by about five assailants. They came into the campus; to the place called Motion Ground. The dead victim was shot there. The police tried to rescue the shot man, who was groaning; but he later died. The gun used by the assailants dropped and the police recovered it.

“The cult clash at Kwara Poly happened on Thursday, August 13. The other one died on August 16.

“The information we have is that Lanre, a.k.a. Paparazzi, is the one that died at the polytechnic. The other victim is of unknown identity but inside his pocket, there was an international passport bearing Yusuf Adekunle.”

The PPRO said the police arrested 45 suspects in connection with the cult clash. He added that 14 people had already been arraigned while 12 more suspects would soon be arraigned. We have arrested about 45 suspects. After screening, the ones that have case to answer were arraigned on Monday. We charged 14 to court yesterday and 12 today (Tuesday). The investigation is ongoing.”

Meanwhile, the Kwara State House of Assembly has summoned the Management of the Polytechnic and the Ministry of Tertiary Education so as to adopt measures towards ensuring zero tolerance for cultism in the institution.