No less than four houses have reportedly been set ablaze by the rampaging students. Leaders of the Imaweje community around Ijagun, Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State, took to their heels, as a bloody clash broke out between residents and the students of Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun.
It was gathered that violence erupted when a yet-to-be-identified 300-level student was killed by members of the host community. The host community reportedly accused the student of being a cultist, after which he was allegedly murdered.
News of the student’s death was said to have filtered into the school and students’ residences, which led to reprisals by his schoolmates, who stormed the community.
They reportedly invaded the house of the community leader and set it ablaze, while other chiefs’ houses were also torched. The community leaders were said to have fled the community for safety, while the students that lived in the community were said to have also deserted their houses.
According to a resident of the community, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, the whole community had been deserted. The source said the crisis was escalated by some students believed to be cultists, who, he said, claimed to be protesting the death of one of them.
“The crisis started on Friday but escalated today (Sunday).
“He was beaten by the community for being a cultist. He was left after he was beaten, but, when he was taken to the hospital, he was already pronounced dead.
“So, the students became angry and went on a rampage to the extent of setting ablaze the building belonging to the base of the community and other houses which served as students’ hostel.
“As of the last count, four houses have been set ablaze.
“No death was recorded apart from the student. And the whole place has been deserted,” the source was quoted as saying.
Ogun Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi confirmed the incident, saying some students suspected to be cultists beat two of their colleagues for refusing to be initiated by them.
The police spokesman explained that the student after he escaped, reported the incident to the community, and in the process of searching for the suspected cultists, they caught one, beat him up, and took him to the village head.
Oyeyemi revealed that the community head then ordered that they should take him to the hospital, and on the way to the hospital, the student died.
