Sodiq Oyeleke
Students of Obafemi Awolowo University and some residents of the Ile-Ife have expressed fear that they could be attacked anytime by cultists on the university campus or the streets of the ancient city.
They lamented the increasing activities of cultists, alleging that cultists now operated without fear of being arrested.
Residents of Ile-Ife specifically complained that cultists were now on the rampage with destructive activities ranging from vehicles and properties vandalisation to abrupt shutting down of roads in possession of weapons when passing among others.
On OAU campus, it was gathered that suspected cultists allegedly killed one Omoboriowo Olufemi Ayoola, who was identified to be a son of a junior staff in the university on Thursday.
According to eyewitness reports, the deceased was killed after having a face-off with the suspected cultists at the New Bukatarial Complex of the university.
The New Bukatarial is an area where students and non-students carryout commercial activities, catch fun, eat, smoke and drink among others on the OAU campus.
One of the eyewitnesses identified as Ola said, "It happened around 10pm on Thursday. When they first hit him with a diabolical ring, he got weak. Later, they stabbed him in the neck. Before the school security got here, they drove off in their Toyota Highlander Sport Utility Vehicle."
"We tried to rescue him when those guys (the suspected cultists) left but he already lost so much blood," an operator in the complex added.
It was learnt that after the incident, students of the OAU seldomly visited the area.
Some of them who spoke to our corespondent said they could hardly trek along the New Bukatarial Complex route or go there for transactions.
"Even when I am going to new market, I now take a bike so that I will not have any encounter with them (suspected cultists)," a female student said.
It will be recalled that the parliamentary arm of the OAU Students' Union earlier impeached the president over an allegation of transporting suspected cultists to and fro the university campus.
Like the SUG president who debunked the allegation, the university Public Relations Officer, Mr. Biodun Olarewaju, also denied that there was cultists invasion on the OAU campus.
In a press release made available to our correspondent on Sunday, the university spokesperson said the suspected killers were not students of the OAU.
He said, "A man has reportedly died during a brawl at the car park of the New Bukatarial Complex in OAU.
"Some beer parlour operators who witnessed the unfortunate incident said the fight which broke out on November 30, around 10:00pm, led to the death of one Ayoola.
"The Quick Response Squad of the security unit of the university was immediately dispatched to the scene on rescue mission, having shut all the exit roads that could be used as escape routes by the perpetrators.
"On arrival at the scene, the only victim, who sustained severe head injury was rushed to the University Medical and Health Center where he was pronounced dead.
"The security unit of the Institution had made some arrests and handed over the suspects to the Moore station of the Nigeria Police. Although the victim and those presently being interrogated are neither students nor staff of the University."
The press release quoted the Vice Chancellor of the OAU, Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede, as reassuring the general public, students, parents/guardians and the entire university community of their safety.
It said, "The VC urge all to disregard the rumours of cultists invasion and that they should go about their studies and businesses without fear of any molestation from any quarters. Prof. Ogunbodede however sympathise with the family of the victim and pray to God to give them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss."
Written by NEWSTRAWL ONLINE UPDATE
Sodiq Oyeleke is a Media, Human Resources, Project Management and Public Relations Practitioner
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