A male student of Ajayi Crowther University in Oyo State was brutally beaten to death by his peers for allegedly stealing a mobile phone, on Friday.
Naijaonpoint reports that the tragedy unfolded in Shepherd Inn, a hostel on the university’s premises.
Sources within the university told Punch newspaper that the victim was subjected to prolonged physical assault from Friday evening around 6 PM until he succumbed to his injuries the following morning at approximately 10 AM.
Eyewitnesses claim the student was also forcibly shaved before the beating escalated.
The source said, “They said they caught him with a stolen phone. They started beating him from 6pm yesterday (Friday) until he died at about 10am today (Saturday).
“The incident happened at ‘Shepherd Inn’. It’s like a lodge or a hostel now. They also shaved the hair of the guy before beating him.”
The deceased, whose identity remains undisclosed, was allegedly caught with a stolen phone, leading to the fatal vigilante justice meted out by fellow students.
Reacting to the incident, the university’s management swiftly issued a statement through its spokesperson, Femi Atoyeb.
The statement confirmed the death and announced the immediate expulsion and subsequent handing over of the implicated students to the police for further investigation and prosecution.
Atoyebi emphasized the university’s stance on maintaining a zero-tolerance policy towards all forms of misconduct, including cultism, asserting that the expelled students were not part of any cult groups.