- Safiu Kehinde
A yet-to-be identified student of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Lagos, has been shot dead in a suspected cult clash.
The incident reportedly occurred on Tuesday following the conclusion of examination for the day.
The deceased student was said to be trailed by armed men on his way out of the campus.
As recounted by a student who spoke to The Punch correspondent, the victim was heading towards the back gate of the school when the armed men approached him and shot him at the spot.
“The student had just finished writing his exams and was heading towards the back gate when some boys approached him and shot him twice on the spot. The whole scenario happened very fast,” the student said.
Another student, who pleaded anonymity, hinted that the deceased student appeared to be a cult member as his assailants recovered a gun from him after shooting him dead.
“The incident looked more like a cult attack because the victim seemed to have been armed before he was k!lled. We learnt immediately the boys shot him; they searched his bag and recovered a gun and a bullet. They also made sure he was dead before they left.” the student said.
While confirming the incident, Yabatech’s spokesperson, Adekunle Adams, said it did not occur on the premises of the institution.
“The incident occurred but not in the college. It happened at a lounge close to the college. There is no cult-related incident in the college, nothing of such,” Adams stated.
In the same vein, Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident, stressing that the deceased was shot by rival cult members.
Hundeyin added that seven suspects had been arrested in connection with the crime, while the investigation was in progress.
“On Tuesday at about 3 pm, a distress call was received at Sabo Division that a suspected cultist was allegedly shot d3ad by a group of suspected rival cult members in the Yaba area,
“Upon receiving the report, a patrol team was swiftly mobilised to the scene, where the deceased was found lying in a pool of his blood.
“On close observation, visible marks of violence suspected to be bullet wounds were seen on the body while four rounds of live ammunition and some charms were recovered from the deceased’s pocket at the scene. The corpse has been evacuated and deposited in the morgue for autopsy.” he said.