A violent cult-related attack has claimed the life of an undergraduate of the Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Bayelsa State, identified simply as Christian, after gunmen stormed his residence in a late-night raid.
Sources within the police told our correspondent that the incident occurred on Thursday night within the university community, throwing residents into panic.
Christian, a student in the Faculty of Engineering, was reportedly killed after the assailants invaded his apartment in search of his roommate, believed to be their target.
According to a police source, the attackers, suspected to be members of a rival cult group, opened fire when they failed to locate their intended victim.
“The gunmen stormed the apartment looking for his roommate. When they couldn’t find him, they shot Christian,” the source disclosed.
The victim was said to have died instantly at the scene, while the attackers fled before security operatives could arrive.
The killing reportedly triggered tension across the Amassoma community, with residents gripped by fear over renewed cult violence. However, authorities said calm has since been restored.
“The situation caused panic initially, but normalcy has returned.
The body has been evacuated to the morgue,” another source added.
Efforts to get a reaction from the university authorities proved abortive, as calls to a contact number listed on the institution’s website did not connect.
A text message sent to the line had yet to receive a response as of the time of filing this report.
Confirming the incident, the Bayelsa State Police Public Relations Officer, Musa Mohammed, said investigations were ongoing to track down the perpetrators.
“We are on the trail of the suspects,” he stated.
The latest killing comes amid rising concerns over cult-related violence in the university community. Just last week, a 20-year-old woman, identified as Blessing, was reportedly killed by a stray bullet during a similar attack in the area.
The incident, which also occurred on Thursday, was said to have happened when suspected cultists attempted to assault a young man at a laundry facility within the same community, further heightening fears among residents.