Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Tragedy struck the D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic community in Itori, Ogun State, on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, as students took to the streets in a massive protest over the killing of a final-year female student during a midnight armed robbery attack on a student hostel in the Eruku community. The victim, identified as Ahmed Sekinat, a Higher National Diploma II student in the Department of Marketing, was reportedly shot dead by suspected armed robbers who invaded the student community behind the institution. Sekinat was just days away from completing her final examinations and was scheduled to "sign out" from the institution.
According to multiple eyewitness accounts and official confirmations, the attack occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, July 28, when a gang of armed robbers stormed approximately 15 residential buildings in the Eruku community, which is largely occupied by students of the polytechnic. The assailants, armed with guns and other weapons, dispossessed several victims of their valuables before opening fire on the students. During the raid, Sekinat sustained a fatal gunshot wound and was rushed to Shodipo Hospital in Eruku, where she was later confirmed dead. Three other students sustained severe injuries, including a female student who suffered a deep cut to her ear and a male student who was shot and subsequently transferred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Abeokuta for further treatment.
The tragic incident sparked immediate outrage among students, who blocked the Itori-Ewekoro section of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway on Tuesday morning, causing massive traffic congestion and stranding hundreds of motorists and commuters for several hours. The protesting students barricaded the busy federal highway, demanding improved security around the institution and its host communities. Videos of the demonstration circulated widely on social media as the students voiced their frustration over what they described as recurring and unchecked criminal attacks in the area.
Speaking at the protest ground, the Students' Union Government President, Comrade Owoigbe Blessing, lamented the incessant attacks by gunmen, alleging that students were frequently robbed while travelling to and from the school. "It happened in the midnight. One of the final year students from HND 2 Marketing got killed, another female student got injured, they cut her ear and another guy that is at FMC at the moment was shot," she said. She called on the Ogun State Government to strengthen security around the institution, stressing that similar attacks had occurred repeatedly in the Eruku community. "There is no adequate security. If there was, this would not have happened. This is not the first, second or even the third time such an incident has occurred in Eruku," she declared. The SUG President demanded immediate action to protect lives and restore confidence in the safety of the area.
Confirming the incident, the Rector of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Dr. Goke Rafiu, said armed robbers raided about 15 residential buildings in the community, killing one student and injuring three others. He disclosed that the institution's management, accompanied by police officers and the Chairman of the Governing Council, Ambassador Toye Okanlawon, visited the community to assess the situation and discuss immediate security measures. The rector appealed to the protesting students to remain calm while the government, security agencies and community leaders worked to improve security in the area.
Addressing the protesting students, the Area Commander of the Ewekoro Division, ACP Seyi Williams, described the incident as unfortunate and assured them that the police would conduct a thorough investigation. He sympathised with the students and promised that those responsible for the attack would be identified, arrested and brought to justice. However, he appealed to the students to clear the road and allow motorists and pedestrians to go about their lawful activities, noting that the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway is a federal highway used daily by thousands of commuters.
Following the incident, the institution's management postponed examinations scheduled for Tuesday, July 28, and Wednesday, July 29, to Friday, July 31, to allow affected students time to recover emotionally and to honour the deceased. A statement issued by the Chairman of the Timetable, Examination and Academic Calendar Committee, Engr. Gideon Adekunle, said the decision was taken "to ensure students in the affected area regain their composure and mental stability, and most importantly, to honour the deceased".
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has strongly condemned the killing, describing the incident as "heartbreaking and a direct assault on the future of our nation". In a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Oladimeji Uthman, the association declared a state of emergency in Eruku Community and advised students with alternative accommodation to temporarily relocate until the security situation improves. NANS also called on the Ogun State Police Command to carry out a thorough and transparent investigation and bring those responsible to justice. The association urged Governor Dapo Abiodun to strengthen security around all tertiary institutions in the state through collaboration with security agencies, institutional managements, local government councils, traditional rulers and student leaders. "Education should never become a journey of fear or a pathway to death. Every Nigerian student deserves to study, travel to and from campus and live within host communities without the constant threat of violence or criminal attacks," the statement read.
The Ogun State Chairman of NANS, Comrade Olabode Faruq Success, also condemned the rising insecurity around tertiary institutions in the state and called for urgent intervention. "The rate of insecurity in our campus is increasing day by day, it's across all campuses in Ogun state... there should be a patrol post for police and other local vigilantes across our campuses and surrounding environment. This hostel that was attacked is just behind the school," he said.
The tragic killing of Ahmed Sekinat has once again exposed the dangerous security situation facing students living in off-campus communities across Nigeria. As the community mourns the loss of a promising young woman who was on the verge of completing her education, the demand for justice and lasting security measures has never been more urgent. The Ogun State Government and security agencies now face mounting pressure to act decisively to prevent such senseless loss of life from recurring. For the students of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, the message is clear: no student should lose their life while pursuing an education, and the time for empty promises is over.
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