The police in Edo State, southern Nigeria, recently confirmed that the killing of a final-year student of the University of Benin was cult related.

Development Diaries reports that the student identified as Obukobo Desmond Oghenerukhewe was shot dead by unknown gunmen in his hostel room in the school.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Edo State Police Command, Chidi Nwabuzor, said the late Oghenerukhewe, popularly called Mayor, was also the Chief of Kegites Club in the university.

It is understood that Mayor, who was in the department of Public Administration, was a member of Maphites secret cult group. According to the police, he was killed by members of the Black Axe, popularly called Aye.

‘The DPO Ugbowo reported that he got a phone call from CSO of the university about the incident and when they got there, a room in Hall 3, they saw the lifeless body and some items like voter’s card, school ID card and other items were found with him’, the police spokesman said.

‘Preliminary investigation showed that the victim was a member of Mahpites while the killers are members of Black Axe Aye. The DPO will transfer the case to the SCID to continue investigation’.

Cultism is one of the most worrisome social vices in Nigeria.

The incident at UNIBEN is not new. In March 2023, a 400-level student of the Department of Computer Engineering at the university, Destiny Osasenaga, was reportedly killed by some suspected cultists.

The victim was said to have been killed in place of his elder brother, who was believed to have offended the suspected cultists.

In 2021, a final-year student of political science at the Osun State University, Victor Oke, was reportedly shot, attacked with machetes and set ablaze by suspected cultists because he refused to join a cult group.

In 2019, three students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, were reportedly killed following a cult ‘war’ in the school.

The ugly phenomenon of cultism in schools appears to be a permanent feature of life and calls for urgent action to address it.

If the heads of these cults in schools are made to face the wrath of the law, they will be forced to desist from their destructive activities.

Development Diaries urges the school authorities to begin an investigation into this latest incident and ensure swift measures are taken to bring the perpetrators to book.

Photo source: UNIBEN