Two Osun Undergraduates Killed in Suspected Cult Attack

Osun Police PRO DSP Abiodun Ojelabi

Two Osun Undergraduates Killed in Suspected Cult Attack

Two yet-to-be-identified undergraduates have been killed in a suspected cult attack in the Ede area of Osun State. PUNCH Metro learnt on Wednesday that the incident occurred on Tuesday night, May 26, 2026. It was gathered that the students, numbering about six, were attacked in their off-campus apartment by suspected cultists. A police source who did not want to be named because of the sensitive nature of the incident told our correspondent that the attack stemmed from an ongoing cult rivalry in the area.

“The attack occurred in the night. The students were in their room when some cultists who were on a revenge mission forced their way into the apartment and started attacking them with dangerous weapons,” the source disclosed. “The students sustained varying degrees of injuries, and two later succumbed to their injuries,” the source added. The source further stated that the injured victims had been hospitalised and were currently receiving treatment.

An anti-cultism advocacy platform, Naija Confra, also confirmed the incident, providing additional details about the possible motive. The platform alleged that suspected members of the Aye confraternity tracked a Buccaneer member identified simply as Dara to the apartment before launching the attack. “Aye, the hit squad tracked a Buccaneer named Dara to his house. Dara holds the position of first shipmate, and the first shipmate is always with the number one man (Big Eye),” the platform wrote. “When they got there, both the first shipmate, the Big Eye, and other officeholders were in the house. They were seriously attacked.” “Two have been reported dead, including the first mate and another person described as the SJ. Other Buccaneers inside the house are in critical condition in the hospital, including the number one man,” Naija Confra stated.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Osun State Police Command, Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed that a cult clash occurred. However, he noted that only one person was killed, contradicting reports from other sources. “Suspected cultists had a clash on Tuesday, and one person was killed. Investigation is ongoing,” Ojelabi stated. The police spokesperson assured that efforts were underway to track down the assailants and bring them to justice.

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This incident adds to a troubling pattern of cult-related violence in Osun State. In March 2026, the state police command arrested five suspected cultists involved in violent clashes within the Ilesa metropolis. Speaking on that incident, Ojelabi told The PUNCH that the Police Anti-Cultism Team arrested the suspects following an exchange of gunshots between rival groups. “On Monday, there was a cult clash around Adeti area, Ilesa at about 7pm, and five people were arrested by the anti-cultism squad and we recovered an axe and some criminal charms,” Ojelabi said at the time. “At first, we thought they were armed hoodlums but when we arrested some of them, preliminary investigations showed that they were cultists,” he added.

In April 2026, it was reported that cult clashes had escalated across the state, with at least five persons reportedly killed in Ilobu, Esa-Oke and Ede within a two-week period, according to Naija Confra. The clashes were reportedly between Buccaneer (BAN) and Aye (NBM) cult groups. In one incident on Friday, March 27, 2026, a suspected Aye member named Moro, popularly known as MOAS Grill, was reportedly killed in Esa-Oke. A reprisal attack followed on Monday night when an unidentified person was killed, suspected to be in retaliation for Moro’s death. In Ilobu, a Buccaneer named Jamiu, a barber, was on the same day killed by suspected Aye members, while a retaliatory attack by Buccaneers on Saturday morning left two victims dead. The attacks reportedly stemmed from a personal dispute where an Aye member accused a Buccaneer of snatching his girlfriend.

The cult violence has also directly impacted the Ede area’s educational institutions. A cult-related incident occurred at the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, between BAN and Eiye (ACN) cult groups. The incident reportedly started outside the school when an Eiye cultist harassed two boys, not knowing they were Buccaneers. It was gathered that the boys later beat up the Eiye cultist, who was said to be an office holder in the Eiye cult. “The Eiye cultists, who wore nose masks and blue caps, later entered the school looking for the Buccaneers. They reportedly saw them and shot at the Buccaneers, but they were lucky to escape,” a source told OSUN DEFENDER. “Other Buccaneers who were also armed inside the school later got involved, chasing the Eiye cultists while also shooting,” the source added.

In a separate incident in May 2026, three students of the Osun State College of Health Technology, Ilesa, were shot by suspected cultists, according to reports. The incident added to growing concerns about cult-related violence targeting students in the state. The victims were reportedly receiving treatment at an undisclosed medical facility.

The Osun incidents are part of a broader pattern of cult-related violence affecting the South-West region. In Lagos State in April 2026, the police confirmed the killing of a suspected member of the Buccaneer Confraternity, Adedipe Adeyinkan, popularly known as “Agali,” in the Iponri area. The victim was attacked on the National Stadium Bridge inward Iponri at about 11:30 p.m. and later died at Mainland General Hospital, Yaba. Additionally, three men were reportedly hacked to death by suspected cultists in the Lagos Island area after attending a birthday party in the Epetedo community. The victims were reportedly attacked while returning home from the gathering. One managed to escape, while the other three were macheted to death. Naija Confra identified one of the victims as “China” and alleged that members of rival cult groups were involved in the attack. The platform also claimed that a fourth individual, identified as “Sanjo,” escaped.

Cult-related violence has long been a challenge in Nigerian tertiary institutions, with groups such as the Aye Confraternity (also known as Aiye or NBM) and the Buccaneers (also known as Vikings or BAN) among the most prominent. These groups often engage in violent clashes over territory, membership, and retaliation for perceived wrongs. The pattern of attack described by Naija Confra—tracking a rival group member to a residence and launching a coordinated assault—is consistent with reported methods of cult-related reprisal attacks. In April 2026, it was reported that the southwest security network, Amotekun, partnered with the management of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, to combat cult activities on campus, indicating the scale of the problem.

The latest incident has raised concerns about the safety of students in off-campus accommodations in the Ede area. Parents and residents have called on security agencies to intensify patrols and surveillance around student-populated areas. The Osun State Police Command has reiterated its commitment to investigating the incident and apprehending those responsible. As of the time of filing this report, no arrests had been announced in connection with the Ede attack. Security analysts note that cult-related violence often goes unreported or underreported due to fear of reprisal attacks and the secretive nature of cult operations. The police have urged members of the public with information about the incident to come forward to assist with ongoing investigations.