Alleged cultists fatally attacked a female Higher National Diploma (HND) student from the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, in Kwara State, along with an unidentified man, outside the school campus.
The police in the state have confirmed the incident, announcing the initiation of an investigation to identify those responsible for the act.
“Management of Federal Polytechnic Offa, Kwara State has commenced investigation into the killing of Miss Toyin Bamidele, an HND 1 Food Technology student of the institution by some unknown assailants,” the institution’s acting spokesperson, Folake Oyinloye, also said.
“The incident was received with rude shock the murder of Bamidele who was allegedly hacked to death in her rented apartment on Thursday 16 November 2023.”
The second victim, identified as the leader of a cult group, was reportedly brutally attacked and killed on the school premises.
Toyin, reported to be the girlfriend of a rival group leader, was tracked down to her residence in the Dapson area of the town. While she was washing her clothes at her residence in Dapson Hostel (a private hostel) along the Atari area of the institution’s mini-campus, the assailants arrived and fatally assaulted her.
Further investigations suggest that these deaths may be linked to the widely known “Sign out” ceremony, a celebration marking the end of the academic session for graduating students in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
However, in certain schools, it has transformed into a battleground due to clashes between rival cult groups.
“In a show of retaliation, the deceased was said to have been pounced on by the rival cult group while washing her clothes at her residence and hacked her to death,” the source, who pleaded anonymity, said.
A resident of the area, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said: “When we heard the sound of the invasion, some of us had to run for our safety.
“But at the end of the attack which lasted about fifteen minutes, when we got to her room, we discovered the lifeless body of the deceased and then informed the appropriate authorities on the incident”.
Meanwhile, the bodies of the two victims have been placed in the morgue at General Hospital in Offa for further examination through autopsy.