In a tragic incident, Oluwaseyi Adebayo, a student at the Federal University of Technology Minna (FUT Minna), Niger State, lost his life after accidentally falling into a fishpond while hiking with his colleagues.
Adebayo, a 400-level student in the Department of Animal Production, was bike hiking with friends on August 10 when he slipped from a hilltop and fell into the fishpond, where he drowned.
It was reported that locals in the area initially refused to release Adebayo’s body to university authorities until certain rituals were performed to prevent a similar fate from befalling his seven other companions.
The FUT Minna administration declined to participate in the ritual, but concerned individuals eventually paid the required amount and provided a white ram for the sacrifice to resolve the situation.
When contacted, the university’s spokesperson, Lydia Legbo, stated that the institution was unaware of the incident and could not comment on it. “The university is not aware of any such incident and cannot comment on it,” Legbo said.
However, the Student Union Government (SUG) of the university confirmed the tragedy in a statement titled “Condolence Message.” The statement, signed by the SUG Public Relations Officer, Moshood Olamide, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of Oluwaseyi David, urging students to avoid outdoor activities near waterways and to refrain from swimming in water bodies of unknown depth.
When reached for comment, the spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, stated that the incident was not reported to the police. “We are not aware of the incident. It was not reported to the police,” Abiodun said.
