Suspected Cultists Kill Two Students of  Federal Polytechnic, Offa

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin.

A group of  suspected student cultists  at Federal Polytechnic, Offa in Kwara state on Thursday hacked  to death two  Higher National Diploma(HND)1 students. One of them is a yet-to-be identified male student and   the other a female student,  Miss Toyin Bamidele of the Faculty of Food Technology.

Already, the corpses of the two affected victims have been deposited at Offa General Hospital, Offa for autopsy, while the state police command has detailed detectives from the Criminal Investigation Bureau to investigate and arrest those allegedly behind the dastardly act.

THISDAY checks revealed that, while the suspected male student said to be the leader of a cult group was macheted  to death within the premises of the polytechnic, Toyin Bamidele said to be a girlfriend of the leader of a rival group who couldn’t be found was allegedly trailed to her resident at Dampson Hostel along Tatari area of the town where she was hacked to death.

THISDAY  investigations also revealed that the death of the two students might not be unconnected with the now popular “Sign out” ceremonies in the institution whereby students celebrate the end of their last examination, now turned into cult war time by rival cult groups. 

Sources close to the institution told THISDAY yesterday in Offa that the deceased was said to be one of the girl friends of a leader of the cultists group in the school.

One of the sources said, “In a show of retaliation, the deceased was said to have been pounced on by the rival cultists group while washing her clothes at her residence and hacked her to death.

It was further gathered that, the deceased was also alleged to be putting on various dress code of yellow and red at times around in the institution.

The residents of the area who spoke on the condition of anonymity told THISDAY, “When we heard the sound of the invasion, some of us have to run for our safety.

“But at the end of the attack which lasted about fifteen minutes, when we got to her room, we discovered the lifeless body of the deceased and then informed the appropriate authorities on the incident.”

Also, a senior police officer at Offa Divisional Police Office, who sought anonymity confirmed the incident saying that, “We have commenced full investigations into the dastardly act in order to fish out the masterminds of the killing of the female student, Miss  Toyin Bamidele and the male student”.

Meanwhile, the management of the institution has called on the security agencies in the state to commence full investigations into the incident.

A statement issued by the Head of the Acting  Public Relations of the Polytechnic, Mrs. Folake Akinloye said, “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 incident was received with rude shock by the murder of Bamidele who was allegedly hacked to death in her rented apartment on Thursday 16 November 2023.”

According to the statement, the management condemns this inhumane act in strong terms as it is strange in the Polytechnic community.

“While the circumstances behind the incident remain unknown, investigations are currently ongoing to reveal the identity of the evil occurrence by the appropriate security agencies and, as a matter of urgency, to fish out the culprits.”

 The statement further stressed that, “Her demise is an irreparable loss to the entire management and staff of the Polytechnic.

 “The management somberly condoles with her family, friends, and the Department of Food Technology for the great loss and urges anyone who has useful information on this occurrence to report to Security Agents.

“The management prays to God to repose her soul, grant her eternal rest and uphold her family to bear the loss.”