By Mike Osarogiagbon & Okhide Em’ya David
Benin City, Nigeria – A final year student of Public Administration Department at the University of Benin (UNIBEN) has been shot to death inside his hall of residence in what has been described as a cult-related killing.
The student identified as Desmond Mayor was killed by a gunman who stormed his room in Hall 3 at Ugbowo campus of the institution about 9:pm on Monday, April 3.
Our correspondents gathered that the deceased student was the Chief of the Kegites club (ILYA OVIA) in the university.
Informed sources said the incident signaled the beginning of a fresh Cult war at one of Nigeria’s premier institutions.
Some Students who called Alltimespost.com correspondents over the incident said “activities at the Hostel were going on smoothly before the Gun shots rang out.”
According to them, they initially thought it was an explosion from Electric Cables until they noticed choking smoke from gun Powder and the stream of Blood on the Body of the victim, whom they also described as easy going.
The latest shooting is occurring less than four weeks after four- hundred -level computer engineering student of the University was murdered in the same manner.
The late Student was a notable member of the Palm Wine Drinkers Club where he is reckoned to be a “Kegite Chief,” according to sources.
It was learnt that the shooting triggered a pandemonium as other students in the hall scampered to safety.
Contacted, the Spokesman, Edo State Police Command SP Chidi Nwabuzor said no arrest has been made as investigation is ongoing.
Asked whether he suspected cult-related violence, SP Nwabuzor replied: “Yes! It was cult-related, the student was a member of Manphite, he was killed by a member of Black axe”.
Meanwhile, the corpse of the student has been deposited in a morgue.
In a statement issued today by the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Dr. Daisy Ehanire, and made available to journalists in Benin City, the authorities of UNIBEN called for calm just as they condemned the dastardly killing.
The institution’s image maker commiserated with the family and colleagues of the late student and pleaded with other students to be calm as the police and other security agencies are working hard to fish out the suspected runaway killer.
Dr. Ehanire, however, stated that the authorities were also working closely with the internal security units in ensuring that such a dastardly incident does not occur again within the school’s premises.
