Breaking News: Bloodbath In Ekpoma As Cultists kill 2 AAU Final Year Students, 3 Others At Graduation Party

The gunmen were said to have opened fire on the celebrating students after one of them was allegedly provoked during the ceremony which held at Judges quarters, Ihumudmu, Ekpoma town, at about 8:pm on that fateful day.

Among the casualties were the son of a former Chairman of Esan West local government area of Edo state said to have just completed his Master degree in architecture, one Ose Abolo and a final year medical student simply identified as Dr Einstein.

Investigation revealed that the shooting occurred in a nearby bar operated by an ex-banker (name withheld) where the victims relocated to after the altercation at the party venue.

It was further gathered that the earlier provocation inside the party ended in a fisticuffs as those who participated in stopping it were issued a serious threat by one of the fighters who accused them of tearing his shirt.

He was said to have left the party thereafter but returned with armed men who opened fire on the celebrants leaving many dead and scores injured.

Reacting to the incident,  Dean of Students Affairs of the University, Prof Don Akhilomen told news men in an interview that although the shooting incident did not happen within the institution’s campuses, the authorities were yet to identify all those that were killed.

Said he, “we heard that some people were killed at Ihunmudumun area of the town while at a graduation party. As at now, we are yet to identify those involved.

Some may be our students, some might not be. So, we are still watching the situation.”

Confirming the bloodbath, Edo State Commissioner of Police, CP Johnson Kokumo said one person died while four others who sustained bullet wounds have been taken to the hospital.

He added that the shooting was between two rival cult groups as four persons had been arrested while arms and ammunition were recovered.