NANS seeks probe of Ogun varsity student’s killing by cultists on campus

The national body of the National Association of Nigeria Students has demanded a probe into the killing of a final-year student of the Department of History and Diplomatic Studies by cultists on the campus of the Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

The National Clerk of NANS, Oladimeji Uthman, in a telephone conversation with PUNCH Metro on Thursday, also charged the government at all levels to beef up security on campuses across the country.

PUNCH Online reported on Wednesday that the victim, Hammed Fabiyi, was dragged out of the examination hall while writing his final paper by some unidentified men.

A source who witnessed the incident said the armed men believed to be cultists dragged him to a corner, where they shot at him and hit him with a brick on the head.

The assailants reportedly ensured that he died before leaving the scene.

The acting President of the Students’ Union, Bethel Olorunfunmi, also confirmed Fabiyi’s death on Wednesday, stating that efforts to rescue the victim by the medical staff at an unspecified general hospital proved abortive.

While expressing shock towards the audacity of the assailants to carry out such a heinous act on the university campus, Oladimeji decried the state of security on campuses across the federation.

He said, “The brutal attack and subsequent death of Fabiyi Hammed Ayinla, a 400-level student of History and Diplomatic Studies, serves as a grim reminder of the grave threats posed by cultism and related criminal activities within our educational institutions. This incident occurred despite the presence of internal security personnel on campus, highlighting vulnerabilities that require immediate redress.

“In light of this tragic event, the Senate secretariat at her just concluded emergency meeting called upon federal and state governments, as well as all managements of both public and privately owned institutions, to prioritise and enhance security measures and architecture on various campuses.

“We hereby request that a probe be carried out on the incident to identify and bring to justice those behind the action to prevent future tragedies and restore confidence in the security architecture of our educational institutions across the nation.”

Meanwhile, the school management had in a statement signed by the its Deputy Registrar, Babatunde Odugbesan, on Thursday, suspended the ongoing examinations indefinitely.

The statement read, “The university management has directed the suspension of all examinations previously scheduled for Thursday, July 4, and Friday, July 5, 2024, until further notice.

“Meanwhile, students are assured of their safety and are advised to remain calm while investigations are ongoing to get to the root of the cultist attack on a student on campus.”

The spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, Omolola Odutola, disclosed on Wednesday that the command had begun an investigation and launched raids on suspected cultist hideouts in the area.

Odutola said that all efforts were being made to apprehend every member of the group responsible for the incident.

“Our officers immediately moved to the scene of the incident. All possible hideouts of the suspects were combed and raided by our detectives, including those from other divisions in the area.

“Every effort is being made to ensure that all the perpetrators are apprehended,”  Odutola stated.