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The glamorous lovers’ day celebration on Monday turned bloody at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) when gunmen killed two students. Daily Sun gathered that the clash was between two rival cult groups, namely, Black Axe and the Buccaneers,’ over a female student allegedly snatched by the Capone of the Black Axe for Valentine celebration.

The action of the Capone , the source said did not go down well with the other group leading to the clash.
A student who witnessed the shooting said besides the two cult members who were shot dead, about four others sustained injuries and were ferried out of the campus by their leaders to shield their identity.

The sources said the cult members who carried out the attack were not UNILAG students but members from another campus, adding that the attack was carried out in a commando style with sporadic shooting.
An undergraduate student of English Department told Daily Sun that the Buccaneers’ group attacked the Black Axe members while another student returning from the Mosque said those who carried out the killing were not from UNILAG because they did not cover their faces.

It was learnt that as soon the shooting started, students scampered for safety while others took cover behind the wall and under cars packed around, while others ran into the halls to avoid being hit by stray bullets. 
A senior lecturer who confirmed the killings said the university management had met to curtail any reprisal attack while security personnel had taken over the investigation of the deadly cult clash.
When Daily Sun visited the troubled institution yesterday, there was uneasy calm, as most staff and students rebuffed efforts made by the reporters to get their comments.

However, one of the students who resides at Sodeinde Hall, said there was sporadic gunshots outside the premises which caused panic everywhere. 
It was gathered that the crisis, which erupted when the students were at the peak of lovers’ day celebration, created stampede on the campus as people ran for safety.

One of the victims of the attack reportedly ran into Sodeinde Hall for help, from where he was taken to the hospital.
Although the Hall Master of Sodeinde Hall declined comments on the issue, one of the officials, who wouldn’t want his name published, said the attack could not be linked to any cult group. He said there was increasing speculation that the perpetrators of the attack could be fighting for love. Efforts made by Daily Sun our reporter to ascertain the identities of the victims were unsuccessful.
The news bulletin of the university, Information Flash (ISSN 08195540) also captured the incident, while assuring the staff and students of the university of adequate security.

“The attention of the universities authorities has been drawn to the incident which occurred in one of the Halls of Residence in the late hours of Monday, February 14, 2011 where two persons were reportedly injured in fracas. The university management has commenced investigation into the unusual incident, in particular at a time when preparation for the first semester examinations due to commence on February 21, 2011 are in top gear. Security has been intensified to ensure safety of life and property on campus. Law enforcement agents have been involved to assist the university in this respect,” it said. 
Daily Sun learnt that students are leaving the campus because of the fear of reprisal attack while some parents called their wards on phone to return home until the situation is brought under control. 

The Deputy Registrar Information of UNILAG, Mr. Dare Adebisi refused to pick his calls or replied to text message sent to his phone.
When the Lagos Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Samuel Jinadu (DSP) was called thrice, he promised to contact the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the area and did not call back as at the press time....

Five months ago, a friend of mine, who edits a national daily, sent me a text message agreeing substantially with my column, ‘The Punch and the rest of us’, except the generalised conclusion that “all (journalists) have sinned and fallen short of the glory of the profession”. There are still some journalists, he submits, who toe the narrow path of integrity. Of course I knew where he was coming from, but I also knew the context in which I had made that statement.

I revisit that statement in light of the stories spewing out of the political beat, specifically on the race for the 2011 presidential elections and how it affects the integrity of news.

As part of the effort to sell his candidature for the presidency, former military president, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) invited as many as 40 journalists to his Minna home on August 14 for an interview. I have heard questions asked about why he should invite journalists to his home instead of a public place if he didn’t have an ulterior motive, and why he should offer monetary gifts to the journalists in the name of paying for their transportation.

One news medium, which has championed this opposition in the open, is the online agency, Sahara Reporters. According to SR each of the journalists received N10 million for heeding Babangida’s call on his presidential ambition. That is N400 million just for one night’s interview from an aspirant yet to win his party’s nomination if it were true. But it was not. When some of the journalists complained about the fictional sum, SR changed the story on August 19, saying it was just “a paltry N250, 000 each”. Rather than admit its initial error SR simply said, “our accountants have told us that going by the number of 40 journalists in attendance, we are still around the same ballpark of N10 million”. So much for credible reporting!

Three days later, SR followed up with ‘IBB and his Rogue Journalists’, accusing the journalists of roguery and professional misconduct; roguery, because they collected money from two sources—their employers who presumably authorised and funded the trip and their news source, IBB; misconduct because it is unethical for them to demand/receive gratification from news sources for their services.

And on August 23 in ‘IBB Nocturnal Press Parley: Punch fires Editorial board Chairman’, SR stayed on top of the story by reporting that Adebolu Arowolo, editorial board chairman of the Punch, had lost his job for going on that trip without his management’s approval..

It has stars to rival Hollywood's Sunset Boulevard and Mumbai's Juhu Beach. But the tabloid tracking the every move of Nigeria's"Nollywood" actors isn't in Nigeria, or even Africa- it's in Queens.

For the past two years, Nigerian-born journalist Ekerete Udoh has run the Diasporan Star - the only paper covering Nollywood outside ofAfrica - from his home in St. Albans, distributing it tothousands of readers in cities across the country.

"We're like the National Enquirer, the US Magazine and the Magazine"">People Magazine of Nollywood combined," Udoh said of thepaper.

Nollywood surpassed Hollywood as the world's second largest movie industry in 2006 (India's Bollywoodoutpaces both, producing some 1,000 titles annually). But itscross-cultural appeal has recently become apparent in NewYork, where superstores in the Bronxand Brooklyn sell thousands of DVDs aweek.

Now the films - long preferred by African and Caribbean immigrants - are enjoying an explosion of popularity among a diverseaudience in Queens. New releases are sold in salons, groceries andbodegas across the borough.

Since March, the blockbusters can even be found at six branches of the Queens Library, though you might have a hard time getting your handson one.

"They don't stay on our shelves," said Patricia Eshun, the Rosedale branch manager.

Fans say the films - often serialized love stories or family dramas - are highly addictive. Many female viewers first see the movies at thesalon, where hairdressers play them back-to-back during long hairappointments.

"You're doing your hair for seven or eight hours, you get hooked." said Dominique Lewis, 48, a legal assistant whotraveled from Brooklyn to pick up a film called "Virginity" at the Jamaica bus depot. Like many, she saidshe has several dozen Nollywood DVDs at home.

"My kids made fun of me [saying]: 'Mom, do you do anything else?'" she said.

Part of the appeal is the price: $4 to $7 buys two or three hours of heart-wrenching drama. Releasing a single film across two or three DVDsalso keeps customers coming back.

"I sell American movies, but not a lot," said Tass Sacko, who owns a Nollywood movie store on Jamaica Ave. "The original American movies areexpensive."

But Udoh said the films also present an alternative view of Africa, one that viewers are eager to explore.

"Above all, I think Nollywood has done a lot to rebrand Africa," he said. "A lot of people had the notion that Africans were still living intheir mud houses - they are shocked when they see places that look likeManhattan,and they can't believe that that is in Africa."

It has stars to rival Hollywood's Sunset Boulevard and Mumbai's Juhu Beach. But the tabloid tracking the every move of Nigeria's"Nollywood" actors isn't in Nigeria, or even Africa- it's in Queens.

For the past two years, Nigerian-born journalist Ekerete Udoh has run the Diasporan Star - the only paper covering Nollywood outside ofAfrica - from his home in St. Albans, distributing it tothousands of readers in cities across the country.

"We're like the National Enquirer, the US Magazine and the Magazine"">People Magazine of Nollywood combined," Udoh said of thepaper.

Nollywood surpassed Hollywood as the world's second largest movie industry in 2006 (India's Bollywoodoutpaces both, producing some 1,000 titles annually). But itscross-cultural appeal has recently become apparent in NewYork, where superstores in the Bronxand Brooklyn sell thousands of DVDs aweek.

Now the films - long preferred by African and Caribbean immigrants - are enjoying an explosion of popularity among a diverseaudience in Queens. New releases are sold in salons, groceries andbodegas across the borough.

Since March, the blockbusters can even be found at six branches of the Queens Library, though you might have a hard time getting your handson one.

"They don't stay on our shelves," said Patricia Eshun, the Rosedale branch manager.

Fans say the films - often serialized love stories or family dramas - are highly addictive. Many female viewers first see the movies at thesalon, where hairdressers play them back-to-back during long hairappointments.

"You're doing your hair for seven or eight hours, you get hooked." said Dominique Lewis, 48, a legal assistant whotraveled from Brooklyn to pick up a film called "Virginity" at the Jamaica bus depot. Like many, she saidshe has several dozen Nollywood DVDs at home.

"My kids made fun of me [saying]: 'Mom, do you do anything else?'" she said.

Part of the appeal is the price: $4 to $7 buys two or three hours of heart-wrenching drama. Releasing a single film across two or three DVDsalso keeps customers coming back.

"I sell American movies, but not a lot," said Tass Sacko, who owns a Nollywood movie store on Jamaica Ave. "The original American movies areexpensive."

But Udoh said the films also present an alternative view of Africa, one that viewers are eager to explore.

"Above all, I think Nollywood has done a lot to rebrand Africa," he said. "A lot of people had the notion that Africans were still living intheir mud houses - they are shocked when they see places that look likeManhattan,and they can't believe that that is in Africa."