Authorities of Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU), have strongly condemned the gruesome killing of two of its students by suspected cultists.

A Political Science student, Samuel Ethelbert, and Chukwuebuka Nwigbo of Estate Management, both third year students, were murdered in cold blood at their Chidoo Lodge hostel, about four kilometres off campus, last Saturday.

Their assailants, in the most bizarre manner, severed their heads and mutilated their bodies. To complete the dastard act, the murderers displayed the heads of the deceased in the school field as if they were goals posts. The heinous crime has been condemned nationwide.

In sympathising with the parents of the deceased, Vice Chancellor of ABSU, Prof Uche Ikonne, described the incident as despicable and unacceptable.

Briefing newsmen on the incident in his office in Uturu, Thursday, Ikonne noted that students of the institution were peace-loving, disciplined and academically-oriented and condemned very strongly, “the activities of some foreign elements who try to dent the good image and amiable reputation of the university.”

While assuring students of adequate security of their lives and property, and urging them to go about their academic activities without fear of molestation, Ikonne called on parents, guardians and sponsors to “encourage their children and wards to avail themselves of decent accommodations inside the campus where maximum security and municipal services are always provided for the students.”

The Vice Chancellor wondered why students from decent homes would prefer private lodges without security to decent accommodations on campus.

He disclosed that the university management was working assiduously with security agencies to ensure that those who killed the students would be unmasked while adequate measures were being put in place to check a reoccurrence of such a dastardly act.

The Vice Chancellor lamented that many students prefer living off campus in order to enjoy absolute freedom, adding that the university’s hostels were currently not fully occupied.

Sympathising with the university, the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abia State Council, Comrade John Emejor, enjoined the university management, the State Government and security agencies to fish out and prosecute perpetrators of the murder.

Meanwhile, Abia State Governor and Visitor to the institution, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has directed landlords who own hostels within the university community to profile their tenants.

He said the landlords should be able to identify students living in their hostels and their parents.

•Photo shows ABSU VC, Prof Uche Ikonne.