Closure

  The management of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, on Wednesday announced the closure of the institution a day after suspected cultists clashed near the entrance of the school. The PUNCH had earlier reported that one man was feared killed in a violent clash involving members of two rival cult groups on Tuesday. In a video shared by Lamina Omotoyosi, a Facebook user, said to have been purportedly recorded, while the incident was going on, a man wearing a white shirt was filmed hitting someone lying down with a hammer on the head, while two other people watched from close distance. It was also learnt that, after the perpetrators of the crime had fled, operatives of the Anti-Cultism Unit of Osun State Police Command were deployed to the institution to restore normalcy. The Dean, Students Affairs of the Polytechnic, Dr Tope Abiola, who confirmed a clash of some hoodlums near the school gate, added, “We were inside campus when we started hearing gunshots. From the findings, one person was critically injured. I am not aware that anyone died. “The person who was critically injured is an ex-student of the polytechnic. He did his National Diploma here and completed the program about 2 years ago. One of the other three people who were injured was hit by stray bullets.” Also, commenting on the incident, Osun Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Ojelabi, said those who sustained injury in the clash were receiving treatment in a hospital. Apparently, to prevent aggravating tension that the development caused, the management directed the students to immediately proceed on mid-semester break. The management, in an internal memorandum signed by the Registrar, Abiodun Oloyede, dated April 9, 2025, also announced the postponement of matriculation for the new students, earlier slated for Thursday, indefinitely. “Given the pleas and appeals received from some set of students who have not been able to pay their school’s fees and had not completed their registration formalities, Management has magnanimously granted a week mid-semester break from Thursday, April 10 to Wednesday, April 16, 2025. “This is to allow all defaulting students to pay their school fees and complete their registration procedure. Consequently, the Matriculation Ceremony for the 2024/2025 Academic Session, earlier scheduled to hold tomorrow, Thursday, April 10 2025, has been postponed. “A new date shall be announced in due course. All students are therefore enjoined to avail themselves of this break and pay all their fees and complete their registration as no further appeal shall be entertained,” the memo read.