Graduate Killed by Stray Bullet Amid Cult Clash in Osun

A fresh graduate of Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, identified as Taoreed, was tragically killed by a stray bullet during a violent clash between rival cult groups in the state.

The incident occurred on Tuesday, September 23, shortly after Taoreed collected his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) call-up letter.

Eyewitnesses said the violence erupted the previous day during a signing-out ceremony for final-year students, forcing panicked students to flee as gunshots rang out near the school premises.

A student who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “We were leaving after exams when the shooting started. Everyone ran for cover. Later, we discovered a student had been killed—it was terrifying.”

Police sources revealed that the graduate’s death resulted from a reprisal attack along Ilesa–Esa-Oke Road. “He was waiting to board a bus home when gunmen opened fire. Taoreed ran for safety but was struck by a stray bullet and later found in a nearby bush, unresponsive,” the source said.

DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, Osun State Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the cult clash and the deaths of two students. “One died instantly; the other, later in hospital. Arrests of the perpetrators are ongoing,” he stated.

The incident highlights the recurring security threats during student events in the state.