Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, on Friday, gave a stern warning to students engaging in cult activities at the state-owned Niger Delta University (NDU), Wilberforce Island, Amassoma, in Southern Ijaw Local Council, to withdraw from the institution or be ready for expulsion.

Diri also directed the vice chancellor and the institution’s management to fish out culprits and dismiss them. He gave the directive during the NDU 7th combined convocation following recent incidents of students’ cult rivalry that reportedly claimed lives in the community.

It was the second time in a week that the governor had issued such a warning. Diri gave a similar directive to security agencies in the state during the state executive council meeting and directed the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to speedily prosecute anyone arrested for cult-related crimes in the state.

He restated his call on students to avoid cultism, stressing that there was no room for such activities in universities. He said: “Recently, I spoke to the vice chancellor about the resurgence of cultism in this university. May I use this opportunity to warn those who did not come here for learning and character building to, on their own, withdraw.

“There should be no room for cultism in this university. I have given the vice chancellor a charge as the visitor to this institution, and as government, I have also charged all security agencies in the state.

Anyone found engaging in cultism in this university, do not hesitate to apply the sanctions.” Diri assured the institution that 25 years after it was established by the Diepreye Alamieyeseigha administration, his government would actively contribute to the narrative that will shape it for the next 25 years.

He noted that performing the groundbreaking of the 5000-seater convocation arena and the Faculty of Environmental Sciences building before the ceremony commenced were tangible expressions of his government’s commitment to fostering an environment conducive to academic excellence.
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‎He assured that under his administration, facilities in the institution would adhere to accreditation standards set by the National Universities Commission and the relevant regulatory councils and boards.

Earlier, Prof. Allen Agih thanked the governor for appointing him as the 5th Vice Chancellor of the institution. The VC said 6,536 graduands took part in the ceremony, including 5,726 for Bachelor’s degrees with bagging 69 First Class honours.

There were also 810 higher degrees graduands, including 16 professional diplomas, 191 post- graduate diplomas and 458 Master’s degrees. Also, the Pro Chancellor, Dr. Matthew Seiyefa, said NDU had produced an adequate manpower knowledge base that has contributed significantly to its growth and development.

He noted that the institution had evolved to become the melting pot of ideas and initiatives, vital for navigating climate change and economic diversification.

Also present at the events were the deputy governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo; member representing Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Dr. Fred Agbedi; member representing Southern Ijaw Constituency 1 in the State House of Assembly, Felix Ayah; the Chief of Staff, Government House, Dr. Peter Akpe, cabinet members and other top government functionaries.