POLICE INVESTIGATE DEATH OF 500-LEVEL OAU STUDENT IN ILE-IFE

A 500-level student of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Oluwole Oluwaseun, has died in an incident the police have described as suicide. Oluwaseun, who was a student of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, was found at an apartment in the Damico area of Ooni Layout, Ile-Ife.

The spokesperson for the Osun State Police Command, Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed the incident, saying preliminary information available to the command indicated that the student took his own life. Ojelabi said the deceased was found hanging, adding that the police had classified the incident as a case of suicide based on the information gathered so far.

The university said it received information about an emergency involving the student at about 1:30pm on Tuesday. Following the report, members of the institution’s response and security teams immediately went to the apartment, while the Nigeria Police Force was contacted. Officers from the ‘A’ Division, Moore, Ile-Ife, subsequently joined the university’s security personnel at the scene.

Oluwaseun was later taken to the university’s Health Centre, where a medical doctor certified him dead. OAU said it had handed relevant information and items recovered from the scene over to the police, who have commenced an investigation to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident. The university also appealed to members of its community not to circulate unverified information or speculate while the investigation continues.

The Vice-Chancellor, Simeon Bamire, expressed condolences to the student’s family, friends, classmates and colleagues, while also expressing concern for members of the university community affected by the tragedy. OAU urged students experiencing severe emotional distress, relationship difficulties, financial pressures or other personal challenges to seek help from trusted individuals and appropriate support structures, stressing that no student should feel compelled to face overwhelming difficulties alone.