The University of Benin administration has distanced the school from the recent violent clash that happened at the school gate, claiming that no members of the university community were involved and that the incident took place off campus.
The management characterized the occurrence as a result of suspected cult activity in a statement released by Benedicta Ehanire, the institution’s public relations officer.
“The University of Benin has dissociated its staff and students from the violent clash outside the Ugbowo campus of the institution,” the statement read.
“Preliminary reports indicate that the incident is a fallout of cult activities outside the campus and does not involve any university staff member or student.”
The administration of the institution apologized for the death and asked employees and students to carry on with their studies in a calm manner.
However, Venerable Egbenusi Osazee David, the chairman of the university’s Cult Renunciation, Reconciliation, Rehabilitation, and Interfaith Committee, resigned due to the incident. Egbenusi claimed in a May 10 resignation letter to Vice-Chancellor Prof. Edoba Omoregie (SAN) that the VC had threatened him after sending him videos of the violence.
The cleric said that in the interest of campus security, he had provided video of the deadly shooting and suspected cult activity to the VC. According to him, the VC became enraged and insisted that the tapes be taken off.
However, in a response from the university, it called Egbenusi’s resignation letter “mischievous” and accused him of behaving in bad faith in a counterstatement released on Monday. The university said that Egbenusi had not performed well in his position as chairman of the anti-cultism committee and expressed relief at his resignation.
The violent shooting in UNIBEN
ENigeria Newspaper recalls that one Alexander Omogiate was reportedly shot and killed by masked gunmen on Sunday night as he was leaving the university’s main gate at Ugbowo in a Mercedes-Benz GLK.
According to eyewitnesses, the assailants stopped the car, fired at close range, and then took off. About an hour prior to the incident, the deceased was said to have finished his exam in the Department of Political Science.
A female bystander was also struck by a stray bullet during the event, while three other car occupants suffered gunshot wounds.
