Students of Solomon Lar University Bokkos, Plateau, on Tuesday staged a protest over the killing of a student of the institution by gunmen suspected to be cultists.
The two other persons were injured in the attack carried out on a shop in Ndar village near the university around 8.45 p.m. on Monday.
The aggrieved students took to the streets of Bokkos in protest, saying it was “wicked killing“ of their colleague.
The spokesman of the Military Special Task Force (STF), Capt. Salisu Mustapha, confirmed the incident.
He told NAN that the two injured persons had been taken to Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) where they were responding to treatment.
“The unfortunate attack on Ndar village took place around 8.45 p.m. on Monday by gunmen suspected to be cultists.
“During the attack, a level II student simply called Jonathan was shot dead while two other persons sustained serious gun-shot wounds, “ the spokesman said.
Mustapha said the task force had begun investigations into the incident to tracking down the culprits.
He said no arrest had been made and called on the students and other members of the university community to be calm.
Mustapha urged them to go about their normal businesses as normalcy had since been restored to the area.
Also speaking, Mr John Agams, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the institution, told NAN that the deceased was staying off campus.
He said the deceased had gone to a shop to pick his laptop which he earlier kept for charging when he fell into the hands of the gunmen.
“We learnt that the gunmen were after the lady that sells in the shop but who had reportedly hidden when she learnt of the arrival of the gunmen. “He was shot as he attempted to open the door of the shop.
“The gunmen, who reportedly stormed the village in two vehicles, might have mistaken him for the shop lady who, we learnt, had hidden herself on noticing the presence of the gunmen, “ he said.
Agams called on the students to be calm.
The PRO said the students should allow the university authorities and security operatives to investigate the unfortunate incident.
According to him, the university would do all it could to ensure that justice was done on the matter which had interrupted academic activities of the institution.
He expressed gratitude to the STF for its prompt intervention in curtailing the situation.(NAN)
