A student of University of Benin has been shot dead by suspected gunmen while driving out of the institution’s main gate at Ugbowo, Edo State.
The incident, which reportedly threw students and residents of the university community into panic as the attackers fled immediately after the shooting.
Eyewitnesses said the victim, whose identity had yet to be confirmed as of press time, was attacked at close range while inside a JLK Mercedes-Benz vehicle.
According to sources, the student had completed an examination in the Political Science Department about an hour before the attack.
A student who witnessed the incident said the assailants appeared determined to kill the victim.
“They shot him at close range, and there was no way he could have survived the attack. Two others who were in the vehicle were also injured and rushed to the school’s health care centre,” the student said.
The two injured occupants of the vehicle were reportedly taken to the university’s health facility for urgent medical attention.
Operatives attached to the Ugbowo Divisional Police Headquarters later arrived at the scene and evacuated the victim’s body.
Speaking on the development, the Divisional Police Officer of the Ugbowo Division, SP Emmanuel, said details surrounding the attack were still unclear.
“Information about the incident is still sketchy,” he stated briefly.
The Nigeria Police Force in Edo State had yet to release an official statement on the killing as of the time of filing this report.
Meanwhile, in a separate security incident within the campus environment, another student was allegedly chased by an armed suspect wielding a machete around the Social Science Lecture Theatre but escaped unhurt.
The latest incidents have raised fresh concerns over security around the university community, with students calling for tighter surveillance and improved protection on and around campus.
