Osun

Fresh Graduate Killed By Stray Bullet After Collecting NYSC Call-Up Letter In Osun

BySodiq Lawal

PublishedOctober 3, 2025

Tragedy struck in Esa-Oke, Osun State, after a fresh graduate of the Osun State College of Technology, identified simply as Taoreed, was killed by a stray bullet during a clash between rival cult groups.

The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, September 23, came barely hours after the victim had collected his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) call-up letter from the institution.

According to eyewitnesses, Taoreed was waiting by the roadside along the Ilesa–Esa-Oke Road to board a vehicle home when suspected cultists launched a reprisal attack in the area.

Gunmen opened fire at their rivals, and one of the stray bullets struck the unsuspecting graduate.

“He ran when he heard the gunshots but didn’t realize he had been hit. He was later discovered lifeless in a nearby bush with his call-up letter still inside the bag he was carrying,” a police source said.

The tragic development followed violence that broke out around the school premises the previous day, Monday, September 22, during final-year students’ signing-out celebrations. Gunshots were heard outside the campus, forcing students to scamper for safety. One student was reportedly killed on the spot by suspected cultists.

Videos that surfaced online showed students running in panic at the school gate as the situation escalated. Some students also recalled that a similar violent incident occurred in the community last year during a sign-out celebration.

Confirming the latest deaths, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, described the incident as a cult clash.

He said two people were killed in total, one during the initial attack on Monday and Taoreed during the reprisal on Tuesday.

“It was a cult clash. Two students were killed. One died on the spot, and the other died in the hospital. Efforts are ongoing to arrest the perpetrators,” Ojelabi stated.

The killing has left students and residents of Esa-Oke in shock, with many lamenting the recurring cult-related violence that has claimed lives in Osun communities hosting tertiary institutions. Only in June, a similar clash between suspected members of rival confraternities at the Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, reportedly left one person dead and several others injured.

Friends and colleagues of the late Taoreed have described his death as “heartbreaking and untimely,” noting that he had just completed his studies and was preparing to serve his fatherland before his life was cut short.

Sodiq Lawal

Sodiq Lawal is a passionate and dedicated journalist with a knack for uncovering captivating stories in the bustling metropolis of Osun State and Nigeria at large. He has a versatile reporting style, covering a wide range of topics, from politics , campus, and social issues to arts and culture, seeking impact in all facets of the society.