Gunmen suspected to be cultists have reportedly shot dead an undergraduate student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), identified simply as Alexander, and injured three others, including a female in an attack on Sunday in Benin.
The attack reportedly happened in the evening at about 6pm infront of the Ugbowo campus of the UNIBEN, along the Benin-Lagos road.
The deceased was said to be driving his GLK Mercedes Benz out of the campus with two other occupants when a white unregistered white GLK Mercedes Benz reportedly intercepted the vehicle.
Witnesses said some masked gunmen immediately opened fire on the vehicle, targeting the driver side and zoomed off, leaving the occupants of the vehicle in the pool of blood.
It was gathered that the deceased victim, a part time student of the department of Political Science, had finished his exams about an hour earlier when the incident occurred.
The three other victims, who sustained injuries in the attack, were said to have been rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital where they are currently receiving treatment.
The spokesperson of the Edo State Police Command confirmed the incident, saying one person died while three others sustained injuries in the accident.
She said investigation revealed that the GLK with three occupants was driving out of the UNIBEN main gate, when an unidentified white GLK intercepted them and opened fire on them.
She added that the gunmen opened fire on the vehicle coming out of the school at a close range, injuring the three occupants of the vehicle and a female passerby whose identity was yet to be ascertained.
She said the State Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, had ordered investigations on the matter to unravel the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
Meanwhile, the Management of the University had dissociated its staff and students from the violent clash.
The institution’s spokesperson, Benedicta Ehanire, in a statement, said preliminary reports indicated that the reported incident was a fallout of cult activities outside the campus and did not involve any university staff or student.
The statement, while expressing regrets over the loss of life, urged members of the University community to remain vigilant and to go about their academic activities on campus peacefully.