Suspected cultists have hacked a female Higher National Diploma student of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa in Kwara State and a yet-to-be-identified man to death outside the school campus.
Police in the state confirmed the incident on Friday, saying an investigation to unravel the masterminds was on.
“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.
Oyinloye added: “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 other victim is said to be the leader of a cult group and was macheted to death within the school’s premises.
Bamidele, who was said to be the girlfriend of the leader of a rival group, was trailed to her residence in the Dapson area of the town.
She was washing her clothes at her residence located at Dapson Hostel (a private hostel) along the Atari area of the institution’s mini campus when the assailants came and mauled her to death.
Further findings revealed that the deaths might be connected with the now-popular “Sign out” ceremony, a celebration at the end of the academic session by graduating students in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
But in some schools, it has been turned into wartime by 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 15 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 remains of the two victims have been deposited at the morgue of General Hospital in Offa for autopsy.
