A violent clash between rival cult groups outside the gate of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, has left one person feared dead and four others injured, according to eyewitness accounts.

The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, reportedly involved suspected members of the Eiye and Aye confraternities, both of whom allegedly exchanged gunfire during the confrontation.

A graphic video shared by a Facebook user, Lamina Omotoyosi, captured a man in a white shirt striking another man repeatedly on the head with a hammer, while two others watched nearby.

“The clash happened very close to the Polytechnic gate. The man was hit on the head several times with a hammer. Four others were also injured during the fight,” said one witness who spoke anonymously.

Eyewitnesses claimed that the victim, described as a male adult, was rushed to a private hospital in Iree but was turned away and he reportedly died en route to another medical facility in Osogbo.

“He was still alive when they left the first hospital. But he stopped breathing before they reached Osogbo. His colleagues took his body away after confirming he was dead,” the source said.

Another source disclosed that prior to the incident, security personnel on campus had reportedly held a meeting with suspected cult members in anticipation of potential unrest.

“The security team met with those known to be involved in cult activities. But it seems the clash still broke out despite the efforts,” the source added.

Dr Tope Abiola, the Dean of Student Affairs at the Polytechnic, confirmed that a disturbance occurred outside the campus but stated that the victim was no longer a student.

“We were on campus when we heard gunshots. From our findings, one person was critically injured. He is a former student who completed his National Diploma here about two years ago,” he said.

Abiola also stated that another injured individual was struck by a stray bullet, but he could not confirm any fatalities resulting from the incident.

The Osun State Police Command through the spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi also commented on the incident.

Ojelabi disclosed that those injured were receiving treatment but declined to confirm any deaths.

“Our officers are aware of the incident. We have reports of injuries, and the victims are being treated. I do not have information confirming any loss of life,” he stated.

The confrontation caused panic among students and residents in the area, many of whom fled the vicinity as gunshots were fired.

There have been no confirmed arrests as of the time of this report and the identities of those involved in the altercation remain unconfirmed.

President Bola Tinubu has expressed sadness over the death of iconic business man, founder of the defunct Diamond Bank and pioneer Chairman of MTN Nigeria, Pascal Dozie.

A presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.

Dozie died at age of 85 in the early hours of Tuesday.

Tinubu described Dozie as “a rare breed business leader whose wisdom, humility, and pioneering efforts laid a foundation upon which many continue to build”.

“His passing is a profound loss to the private sector and Nigeria,” Tinubu added.

The President prayed for the peaceful repose of Dozie’s soul and extended his condolences to his wife, children and extended family.

He urged the Nigerian private sector to honour Pascal Dozie’s memory by upholding the values of integrity, innovation, and nation-building, for which he was renowned.

Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has stated that the recent 14 percent tariff imposed by the United States on Nigerian exports will have minimal impact on the Nigerian economy.

Edun made these comments during the inaugural Corporate Governance Forum organized by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated in Abuja on Monday. While acknowledging the seriousness of rising global tariff disputes, Edun emphasized that Nigeria remains largely shielded from significant effects, given that oil and mineral exports—Nigeria’s major exports to the U.S.—are exempt from the new tariffs.

He pointed out that the 14 percent tariff is relatively moderate compared to the 46 percent tariff imposed on Vietnam and the 34 percent on China. “Nigeria’s exports to the U.S. were N1.8 trillion, N2.6 trillion, and N5.5 trillion in 2022-2024, respectively. Fortunately, oil and mineral exports made up 92 percent, amounting to N5.08 trillion, while non-oil exports were only N0.44 trillion. Therefore, the impact of the tariff on exports is minimal if we maintain our oil and mineral export volumes,” Edun explained.

Despite his optimism, Edun acknowledged that the government’s economic management team is closely monitoring the evolving global situation. “We are revisiting the budget to examine the changes in assumptions that were used in its creation, considering the realities of the first quarter and future projections,” he added.

The 14 percent tariff imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on Nigerian exports poses a significant risk to Nigeria’s $10 billion annual exports to the U.S., particularly threatening key sectors like agriculture, with experts and trade associations expressing concerns over the possibility of a global trade war.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria’s trade with the U.S. reached a total of N31.1 trillion between 2015 and 2024. A breakdown of the foreign trade report reveals that N16.4 trillion was recorded as exports, while imports amounted to N14.71 trillion, resulting in a trade surplus of N1.64 trillion.

The data showed that Nigeria’s exports to the U.S. were valued at N344.27 billion in 2015, N1.03 trillion in 2016, and N1.73 trillion in 2017. Exports continued to rise, reaching N1.82 trillion in 2022, N2.61 trillion in 2023, and N5.52 trillion in 2024. However, there was a notable dip in 2020, with exports falling to N382.19 billion due to the pandemic.

Earlier, the Federal Government acknowledged that several of Nigeria’s oil and non-oil exports would face challenges as a result of the new U.S. tariffs. The tariff could potentially undermine the competitiveness of Nigerian products in the U.S. market, a concern raised by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, in a statement on Sunday.