A student of Yaba College of Technology was shot dead on Tuesday in a suspected cult-related attack, sparking fresh concerns over the rising tide of cult violence in Lagos State.

The yet-to-be-identified student was killed near the back gate of the campus shortly after completing his examinations for the day.

It was gathered that the victim was accosted by a group of young men who pulled out a gun and shot him twice at close range.

However, the assailants fled the scene immediately, leaving the victim in a pool of blood.

The Lagos State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of seven suspects in connection with the attack.

The spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed that the shooting was linked to a cult rivalry and that investigations are ongoing.

“On Tuesday at about 3 pm, a distress call was received at Sabo Division that a suspected cultist was allegedly shot dead by a group of suspected rival cult members in the Yaba area,” Hundeyin said in a statement.

“Upon receiving the report, a patrol team was swiftly mobilised to the scene, where the deceased was found lying in a pool of his blood. On close observation, visible marks of violence suspected to be bullet wounds were seen on the body while four rounds of live ammunition and some charms were recovered from the deceased’s pocket at the scene. The corpse has been evacuated and deposited in the morgue for autopsy,” he added.

The gruesome killing is the latest in a string of cult-related violence across Lagos. Just a day earlier, a 16-year-old boy identified as Mustapha was killed by a stray bullet during a suspected cult clash in the Oyingbo area of Ebute Metta. 

In a related incident, residents of Idimu were shocked to discover the bodies of two men on Sunday morning, one of whom had been beheaded.

The victims were reportedly killed in a cult attack that took place late Saturday night along Oladun Road