Nigerians have taken to the microblogging site X.com to express their shock, anger, and disbelief over the brutal death of Alex Timileyin, a 200-level engineering student at the Ajayi Crowther University in Oyo State, who was clubbed to death by his colleague on Saturday over a claim that he stole a mobile phone.
The student was allegedly beaten to death inside a hostel known as Shepherd Inn on the school premises.
After he was allegedly discovered in possession of the stolen cell phone, PUNCH Metro reported that his attackers had allegedly had his (the deceased) hair forcibly shaved.
A source in the school who spoke on condition of anonymity with our correspondent because of the sensitivity of the matter claimed that the deceased was beaten from 6 p.m. on Friday to about 10 a.m. on Saturday.
“They said they caught him with a stolen phone. They started beating him from 6 p.m. yesterday (Friday) until he died at about 10 a.m. today (Saturday).
“The incident happened at ‘Shepherd Inn’. It’s like a lodge or a hostel now. They also shaved the hair of the guy before beating him,” he said.
Two different videos that were shared with our correspondent on Saturday night showed the deceased rolling on the hostel floor while other students were beating him with sticks.
In one of the videos, one of the students could be heard encouraging the other students to smack the deceased “harder, harder.”
The varsity said on Saturday that it had expelled some of the students who had been involved in the incident that resulted in their colleague’s death as a prompt response to the situation while also dismissing the claim that the suspects were members of a cult group.
The school, through its spokesperson, Femi Atoyebi, described the incident as “the unfortunate death of the student.”
The varsity stated, “Contrary to what is trending, the university affirms that there is no cultism in the institution, just as the university has zero tolerance for any sort of anti-social vices and misconduct. It is important to stress that the expelled students do not belong to any cult group.
“What actually happened is that the deceased was alleged to have stolen a mobile telephone, but instead of reporting the issue to the university management, the expelled students could not control their emotions. Their actions led to the unfortunate death of the student.
“The university has taken swift action by handing over all the students involved to the Nigeria Police Force for investigation, with the assurance that justice will be served.”
However, Nigerians have continued to demand thorough investigation and justice for the slain student.
Leading the pack is an activist of Itsekiri in the Warri Kingdom, identified as @Lord_of_Warri, who, in a letter titled, “An open letter to His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State: Regarding the tragic murder of Prince Alex Timileyi of the Warri Kingdom at Crowther University, Oyo State,” described the slain student as a prince and a first cousin to the Olú of Warri Kingdom, Ogíamè Atuwatsé III.
The letter was copied to the X.com handles of the state governor, the Nigeria Police, President Bola Tinubu, and the Department of State Services, among others.
The activist lamented that the death of the student had left an indelible mark on the Itsekiri people, urging the governor to “ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are brought to justice.”
The tweet partly read, “This incident has left us deeply saddened and concerned about the safety and security of students in schools not just in Oyo State but in Nigeria as a whole. As Itsekiri people, we appeal to you, the Governor of Oyo State, Makinde, to ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are brought to justice.”
He demanded that security operatives “conduct a thorough investigation into this matter and ensure that justice is served. The perpetrators of this heinous act must be held accountable and face the full wrath of the law. We cannot allow the murder of an Itsekiri prince to go unpunished.
“It is important for His Excellency to know that the Yoruba and Itsekiri people are one and the same. Allowing these murderers to go free would be equivalent to allowing the killers of your family members to go unpunished, without seeking justice.”
@Jessica_Egbedi wrote, “Now he’s dead, so sad… Why didn’t they just hand him over to the school authority?”
“I feel traumatised watching this video. There is no difference between them (the suspects) and Boko Haram. I think tyranny and lawlessness are prevalent traits in an average Nigerian.
“We may not have confidence in @PoliceNG to meet justice, but that does not justify taking the law into our hands,” @Jojo_Amandy partly wrote.
Also, @FaventM posted, “The ‘leaders’ of tomorrow. Most are born into comfort but lack basic etiquette. From the ghetto to the affluent environment, it is all cocktails of bad behavior; they only differ in forms and shapes.”
Another tweep who posts by name @HENRYDAVIE10116 said, “This is not a good image for the Anglican Church University. I am sure that the church’s fathers will sanction the management and carry out a thorough investigation into the management of the hostels and student affairs in the university.”