Panic as YABATECH Student Shot Dead by Gunmen Near Campus in Lagos

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05/03/26 • 30 Views • 0 Share • Published in News

Tension swept through the academic community on Tuesday after a student of the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), identified as Sultan Balogun Owolabi, was shot dead by suspected gunmen near the i..

The tragic incident occurred around 4 p.m. at the WAEC Bus Stop in the Ebute Metta area while the student was reportedly attempting to board a commercial bus.

Eyewitnesses said three young men approached the victim at close range and opened fire, shooting him in the stomach before fleeing the scene. The attack threw the busy area into chaos as traders, commuters, and passersby ran for safety.

A witness who spoke anonymously for security reasons said the attackers left the victim bleeding on the ground after the shooting, prompting panic among residents and people in the vicinity.

In the immediate aftermath of the incident, conflicting reports emerged regarding the identity of the attackers. While some accounts described the assailants as suspected cultists, other claims circulating on social media alleged possible involvement of military personnel. The differing narratives have fueled tension and intensified calls for a clear and thorough investigation.

An anti-cultism advocacy platform, Confra Naija, on Wednesday called for a transparent probe into the killing. The group alleged that a cult faction had claimed responsibility for the attack and urged authorities, including the Nigerian Armed Forces, to examine claims suggesting that some personnel might have been linked to an earlier attack reportedly associated with the Eiye (ACN) cult group.

“A full and transparent investigation is necessary to determine who was responsible for the killing of Balogun Sultan, an innocent student with no cult affiliation,” the group said, warning against the spread of misinformation while stressing the need for accountability.

A disturbing video circulating on the social media platform X (Twitter) showed the victim bleeding heavily as friends and sympathizers rushed him to a nearby medical facility, further heightening public concern about safety around tertiary institutions in the state.

Although the spokesperson for YABATECH, Adekunle Adams, initially denied that the deceased was a student of the institution, the Lagos State Police Command later confirmed his identity.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, said the command received a report of the shooting at about 4 p.m. on March 3, 2026.

According to her, two victims were rushed to the 68 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital for treatment. “One of them, Balogun Sultan Owolabi, a student of Yaba College of Technology, was later confirmed dead by the doctor on duty,” she stated, adding that investigations are ongoing to identify and arrest the perpetrators.

The killing has once again drawn attention to recurring cult-related violence in parts of Lagos. Despite intensified security operations in recent years, clashes between rival cult groups and targeted attacks around tertiary institutions have continued to threaten student safety.

In August 2025, security operatives arrested seven suspects following another suspected cult-related attack that claimed the life of a YABATECH student near the institution’s back gate. The recurrence of such incidents has renewed calls for stronger campus security measures, improved collaboration between law enforcement agencies and school authorities, and sustained efforts to dismantle violent cult networks operating within and around higher institution.

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