Tension has gripped the Ede area of Osun State following the killing of two undergraduates in a suspected cult-related attack.
The incident, which reportedly occurred on Tuesday night, also left several other students injured after armed assailants stormed an off-campus apartment occupied by the victims.
Sources disclosed that about six students were inside the apartment when suspected cult members invaded the residence and launched a violent attack using dangerous weapons.
A police source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the case, said the assault was linked to an ongoing supremacy battle among rival cult groups in the area.
“The attackers arrived at night and forcefully entered the apartment where the students were staying.
They attacked the occupants with dangerous weapons during what appeared to be a revenge mission,” the source said.
The source added that the victims sustained varying degrees of injuries, while two of them later died.
According to the source, the injured students were rushed to hospital and are currently receiving treatment.
An anti-cultism advocacy platform, Naija Confra, also confirmed the attack, alleging that members of the Aye confraternity carried out the operation after tracking a suspected Buccaneer member identified simply as Dara to the apartment.
The platform claimed that several leaders of the Buccaneer group were present in the house when the attack occurred.
It alleged that two persons, including a member identified as the first shipmate and another referred to as the SJ, lost their lives during the attack, while others, including the group’s alleged leader, sustained critical injuries.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Osun State Police Command, Yemisi Opalola, confirmed the clash but stated that only one death had been officially recorded.
She added that investigations into the incident were ongoing.
The latest attack has heightened concerns over recurring cult-related violence in parts of Osun State, particularly within student communities.