Auchi Polytechnic graduate shot dead by gunmen after sign-out ceremony, sparking outrage and fears of cult violence in Edo State

The young man, who was also a barber, had returned from the celebrations and reopened his shop to attend to waiting clients when two armed men stormed the premises.

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Witnesses said Jafaru initially thought they had come for a haircut, but one of the assailants pulled out a gun and shot him at point-blank range.

He fell to the ground and died instantly. A customer he was attending to was also hit by stray bullets as the attackers fled the scene on a motorcycle.

Videos circulating online showed Jafaru’s lifeless body lying in his shop with his brown barber’s apron still strapped around him. Eyewitnesses said efforts to save him failed as he was confirmed dead on arrival at the hospital.

While the motive remains unclear, sources suggested the killing may be linked to cult violence, despite insisting that Jafaru himself was not known to be involved in such activities.

The tragic incident comes amid heightened government action against cultism in Edo State. Governor Monday Okpebholo recently set up an anti-cultism committee and directed security agencies to clamp down on criminal gangs following a series of deadly clashes.

When contacted, police spokesman Moses Yamu did not respond to calls or messages.

In March, the Edo State Police Command had announced the arrest of a suspect involved in another family-related killing in Benin, underscoring the security challenges in the state.

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For many in Auchi, Jafaru’s death is both shocking and painful, cutting short the promise of a young man who had just completed his studies and was beginning to shape his future.