Tragedy struck on Monday night as final year student of Benue State University (BSU) in Makurdi fell victim to suspected cultists.
At around 7:30 pm, the incident occurred at Gyado villa, a Makurdi suburb adjacent to the university community.
Confirming the distressing event, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Benue Command, DSP Catherine Anene, disclosed that the victim was Sesugh Simonpeter Shija, a 400 level Sociology student on the verge of graduation next month.
Anene revealed that the killing, a result of a cult clash, took place at approximately 7:50 pm on Monday. She further added that the victim’s body had been taken to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) mortuary.
She declared that an ongoing investigation was being conducted into the matter.
Meanwhile, the late student was mourned by his friends, family, and colleagues on social media. Francis Shir expressed his grief, stating:
“The prevalence of cultism among both the youth and adults in universities can be traced back to the students of the University of NSUKA, who sought to establish a strong union to combat mistreatment from lecturers and other external sources. Originally, the founders of this union did not intend to commit violence or cause chaos. Unfortunately, the current scenario has changed due to the proliferation of cult groups.
Today in Nigeria, we have over 7 different fraternities, each claiming superiority, leading to the loss of valuable lives that could have contributed to the future of society.
Most disturbingly, their attacks are frequently directed at university students, many of whom are on the brink of graduation. Within just two months, over 15 undergraduates from BSU have fallen victim to this tragic cycle.
Many families have been deprived of university graduates due to the extinguishing of potential by these cult groups. Mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters are left hopeless in the wake of these cruel incidents.
At times, I wonder if there are financial rewards for killing a fellow human in the name of cultism. Is there any gain, or is it simply for pleasure or to showcase one’s ability to kill?
Let’s stop the killings in Makurdi. Let’s envision progress and consider the future of our fellow human beings. We, the youth, carry the future of Benue State and Nigeria on our shoulders. We need each other, as a tree does not make a forest.
May the souls of our departed BSU students rest in peace, and may their families find the strength to endure this irreparable loss.
Fresh in our minds is the tragic loss of Sesugh Simonpeter Shija, a 400 level student of the Mass Communication department at BSU, who was fatally shot yesterday.
Rest in peace, Shija.”
