On May 24, 2024, a male student at Ajayi Crowther University in Oyo, Oyo State, Nigeria, died after being allegedly beaten by fellow students inside the Shepherd Inn hostel on the university premises.
The incident reportedly began around 6 pm on Friday, May 23, and continued until approximately 10 am the following morning.
According to sources within the university, the deceased had been accused of stealing a mobile phone. “They started beating him from 6 pm yesterday (Friday) until he died at about 10 am today (Saturday),” an anonymous source disclosed to PUNCH Online. The assailants also forcibly shaved the student’s hair before subjecting him to the prolonged beating.
Video footage shared with reporters showed the deceased being beaten with sticks while rolling on the hostel floor. In one of the recordings, a student could be heard encouraging others to strike “harder, harder.”
The university management, in a statement credited to spokesperson Femi Atoyebi and published by the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday, confirmed the incident. “Contrary to what is trending, the university affirms that there is no cultism in the institution, just as the university has zero tolerance for any sort of anti-societal vices and misconduct,” Atoyebi stated. He added, “It is important to stress that the expelled students do not belong to any cult group.”
The management explained that the students involved in the incident had been expelled and handed over to the police for prosecution. “The university has taken swift action by handing over all the students involved to the Nigeria Police Force for investigation, with the assurance that justice will be served,” the statement read.
The tragic event has sparked significant concern and discussion regarding student safety and the enforcement of disciplinary measures within educational institutions across Nigeria.
