KEY POINTS

• A UNIBEN student was shot dead by masked gunmen shortly after writing an examination at the Ugbowo campus.
• Two other occupants of the victim’s vehicle were injured and taken for treatment.
• Edo police arrested 12 suspected cultists in Auchi, with seven allegedly confessing to membership of Aye and Vikings confraternities.

An unidentified student of the University of Benin, UNIBEN, was shot dead on Sunday evening by suspected gunmen at the institution’s Ugbowo campus in Edo State.

According to eyewitnesses, the attackers, who were masked, opened fire on the UNIBEN student at close range shortly after he completed an examination in the Political Science Department.

The victim was reportedly seated inside a GLK Mercedes-Benz when the assailants struck close r the UNIBEN gate. Two other occupants of the vehicle sustained injuries during the attack and were rushed to the university’s health centre for medical treatment.

The gunmen fled the scene immediately after carrying out the shooting at UNIBEN.

Police operatives from the Ugbowo Divisional Headquarters later arrived at the scene and evacuated the victim’s body.

The Divisional Police Officer, identified simply as Emmanuel, said the circumstances surrounding the killing were still being investigated, adding that the police had yet to release an official statement on the incident.

Police Arrest 12 Suspected Cultists in Edo

In a separate development, the Edo State Police Command said it had arrested 12 suspected cultists in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.

The suspects were apprehended at Amazing Grace Estate in Elele Community, Uzairue, during a joint operation involving police operatives and the Edo State Security Corps.

Police spokesperson, CSP Eno Ikoedem, disclosed that the operation was carried out on May 7 following credible intelligence.

According to him, seven of the suspects admitted belonging to cult groups, including the Aye and Vikings confraternities.

Security operatives also recovered a grey Mercedes-Benz Jeep with registration number GWA 471 DS, said to belong to a fleeing suspect identified as Balogun Israel.

The Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, praised officers involved in the operation for their swift response and professionalism.

He reiterated the command’s determination to combat cultism and other violent crimes across Edo State.

Agbonika added that the suspects had been transferred to the Anti-Cultism Unit for further investigation and would be charged in court after investigations are concluded.