A student from Ajayi Crowther University (ACU) in Oyo has been fatally beaten by some of his peers for allegedly stealing a mobile phone that belonged to one of them.
A source within the institution informed the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday that the students began assaulting their fellow student around 10 p.m. on Friday after discovering that he was the culprit behind the stolen phone.
The source, who wished to remain anonymous as they were not authorised to speak on behalf of the university, mentioned that apart from stealing the phone, the student was accused of transferring a certain amount from the phone to another account.
Several short video clips seen by a NAN reporter depicted a male student hitting his classmate who was writhing on the ground, while another voice could be heard urging him to hit harder.
The source explained that the students were furious about the phone theft and money transfer from the owner’s account.
The source also revealed that the deceased was ejected from the hostel on Friday evening and was found dead early on Saturday.
In the meantime, the school officials have declared the expulsion of the students allegedly involved in what they described as the ‘altercation that resulted in the death of a fellow student’.
In a statement released by its Public Relations Officer, Mr Femi Atoyebi, on Saturday evening, the institution refuted circulating reports claiming that those implicated in the incident were part of a secret cult.
“Contrary to popular belief, the university asserts that there is no cult activity on campus, and maintains a strict stance against any form of societal misconduct.
“It should be noted that the expelled students are not affiliated with any cult group,” he stated.
Atoyebi clarified that what transpired was an alleged case of phone theft by the deceased.
However, he mentioned that instead of reporting the incident to university authorities, the expelled students acted impulsively, resulting in the tragic death of their peer.
The spokesperson assured that the university promptly handed over all involved students to the police for investigation, promising that justice would prevail.
“The university remains resolute in its dedication to providing a safe, conducive, peaceful, and morally upright environment for learning,” he affirmed.
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