Palpable fear has gripped students of the University of Ibadan who live in off-campus hostels, as armed robbers struck again on Saturday, shooting to death an Okada rider in the area.
This is coming after some armed robbers had reportedly shot two persons at an off-campus at Agbowo community, Batika and Agricola streets in the early hours of last Wednesday, carting away the students’ gadgets and belongings.
Some of the students on Sunday recounted how they were traumatised by the early morning invasion which forced some of the students to flee the area again.
One of the students, who identified himself as Gabriel, said he and his colleagues at his hostel could not sleep all through the night as they heard gunshots for hours.
Narrating how the incident happened, he said the Okada rider was riding with a passenger and the hoodlums stopped him at the junction before the UI second gate and attempted to collect his motorcycle.
He said, “The okada rider did not want them to take away the motorcycle and as that was going on the passenger jumped off and fled the scene. Sensing that the okada rider’s resistance might put them in danger, one of them brought out a gun and shot him.”
Another resident of the area who declined to give his name said he and his mates did not sleep at all through the night because of gunshots.
He said, “The killing happened about 8:05 pm and we all rushed inside. But shortly after that, we heard a siren and gunshots which we believed should be from security agents.”