A fresh graduate of the Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, identified as Taoreed, has been confirmed dead after being struck by a stray bullet in a violent clash between rival cult groups in the community.
The tragic incident occurred on Tuesday, September 23, just hours after Taoreed had collected his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) call-up letter from the institution.
Reports revealed that the unrest began a day earlier, on Monday, September 22, when gunshots erupted during a signing-out celebration for final-year students. The chaos left one student dead and threw the campus into panic.
A student, who spoke on condition of anonymity, recounted the tense moments: “We were signing out after our exams when we suddenly heard gunshots. Everyone fled for safety. Later, we discovered that a final-year student had been killed by cultists.”
A video obtained by The Punch showed terrified students scampering for safety at the school gate as gunshots echoed in the background. Sources within the institution said such violent incidents have become recurrent, recalling a similar attack during last year’s signing-out ceremony.
A police source later confirmed that Taoreed’s death happened the following day in a reprisal attack along the Ilesa–Esa-Oke Road. He was reportedly waiting for a bus after leaving the school premises when gunmen opened fire.
“Taoreed was caught in the crossfire and hit by a stray bullet. He ran towards a bush to escape but was later found lifeless,” the source said.
The Osun State Police Command confirmed the incident, with the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, describing it as a cult clash that claimed two lives.
“Investigations are ongoing, and efforts are being intensified to apprehend the perpetrators,” Ojelabi stated.
