Benin City- Tragedy struck the University of Benin (UNIBEN) community on Sunday evening, May 10, 2026, when a part-time final-year Political Science student was shot dead inside his Mercedes GLK SUV at the Ugbowo campus main gate, shortly after completing his semester examinations.
According to eyewitness accounts and graphic videos circulating widely on social media, the victim – yet to be publicly named – was slumped in the driver’s seat with a gunshot wound to the forehead. Bullets had pierced the windscreen. Reports indicate he was not alone in the vehicle; at least two others (a female and another male companion) sustained injuries and were rushed to hospital for treatment. Gunmen reportedly fled the scene in broad daylight, sparking panic among students, residents, and traders around the busy Ugbowo axis.
The University of Benin has distanced its management from the incident, describing it as a “fallout of cult-related activities outside the campus environment” that did not involve any university staff or students. In an official statement, UNIBEN expressed sadness over the loss of life, urged members of the university community to remain calm, vigilant, and security-conscious, and reaffirmed its commitment to safety within the campus. Efforts to obtain comments from the Edo State Police Command proved unsuccessful as of press time.
In a swift and dramatic development hours after the killing, Venerable Egbenusi Osazee David, Chairman of the university’s Cult Renunciation, Reconciliation, Reformation, Rehabilitation and Interfaith Committee (CR4IC), tendered his resignation. In his resignation letter, made public on social media, the chairman accused the Vice Chancellor of failing to act on multiple prior intelligence warnings and security alerts he had submitted regarding threats around the campus.
“I can no longer associate my name with inaction that has resulted in the loss of a young life,” the chairman reportedly stated, highlighting what he described as repeated ignored proposals aimed at curbing cultism and enhancing security.
The resignation has intensified public outrage and reignited long-standing concerns about persistent cultism at UNIBEN, a problem that has plagued the institution for years despite the existence of anti-cult committees and periodic crackdowns. Social media users have flooded platforms with calls for accountability, with many pointing fingers at university leadership for alleged complacency. Posts on X (formerly Twitter) described the VC as “incompetent” and questioned the value of intelligence reports if they are routinely disregarded. Students and alumni recounted past cult-related violence on and around campus, including incidents at halls of residence and faculty areas, warning that the latest killing signals a deeper systemic failure.
One X user wrote: “This isn’t just an incident; it’s a system failure in slow motion.” Another lamented: “Nigeria is the only country where intelligence reports are given about planned attacks… and the attack still happens smoothly.”
The incident comes amid heightened tensions following examinations, with some reports suggesting the victim may have been caught in a suspected cult clash. While the university maintains the shooting occurred outside its direct jurisdiction, critics argue that the proximity to the main gate and the victim’s status as a UNIBEN student underscore the urgent need for better collaboration between campus security, police, and intelligence agencies.
As investigations continue, students have demanded an immediate security overhaul, stricter anti-cultism enforcement, and justice for the perpetrators. The university community remains on edge, with many calling for the Vice Chancellor to address the allegations raised in the resignation letter publicly.
This latest violence has once again thrust UNIBEN into the national spotlight, raising uncomfortable questions about whether Nigeria’s universities can truly be safe havens for learning when cultism and insecurity continue to claim young lives at their very gates.
Eastern Nigeria Chronicle, will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as more information emerges from police investigations and university authorities.
