The management of Ajayi Crowther University Oyo, Oyo State has dispelled insinuations that there are cultists among its students.
The position of the university was contained in a statement it issued on Saturday in relation to the death of one of its students who was allegedly beaten to death over a stolen phone.
A student of the university identified as Alex Timilehin was allegedly bludgeoned to death by his colleagues for allegedly stealing a phone. In a video on social media, some male students are seen beating the late Alex with sticks while others were seen urging on the beating.
“harder, harder, na you abi no be you, na you abi no be you,” the students are seen shouting in the video as Alex was being tortured. Sources in the school said that the deceased student was tortured openly and recorded for over eight hours while there was no intervention from either school security or the hostel management.
However, in a statement signed by the school’s public relations officer, Femi Atoyebi, the school rather strongly defended the students that they do not belong to cult groups.
The statement did not comment on the security situation in the school that could have engendered the killing of Mr. Timilehin.
Part of the statement reads:
“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-social vices and misconduct. It is important to stress that the expelled students do not belong to any cult group.
“What actually happened is that the deceased was alleged to have stolen a mobile telephone, but instead of reporting the issue to the university management, the expelled students could not control their emotions. Their actions led to the unfortunate death of the student.
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 school also refused to make public the identity of the students involved in the alleged killing of their colleague.