Death of Undergraduates: A Death Too Many

Babalola Yusuf Abiola

On the day Wunmi Adebayo saw her name as one of the shortlisted candidate offered provisional admission to study English language In Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun Ogun State, she was happy and excited that out of over nine thousand candidates that sat for the screening exam she was lucky to be one of the shortlisted candidate.

On getting home she was eager to break the news to her mother, who felicitated with her on hearing that her little jewel has finally secured admission after many years of unsuccessful trial.

Also, When her father returned from work, Wunmi was impatient to let her dad get a sit before disclosing her new admission status to him, when Mr. Adebayo heard the good news his daughter broke to him, his mood changed, joy was seen written all over his face and thus said that in few years he will become a proud father of a graduate in the Premier University Of Education in Nigeria.  

But, Wunmi’s father dream of producing a university graduate was aborted on 9th of September by yet to be identified gun men that attacked Wunmi’s and his boy friend at Golden Estate ijebu ode on Sunday night.

According to the friends of the deceased who crave anonymity, she was shot at close range by the robbers and she gave up the ghost instantly.

•   Wunmi Adebayo, undergraduate of Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagunthat was felled by robbers bullets

•  Chioma Nwosu, another undergraduate of Nnamdi Azikwe University Awka that was shot by robbers recently

One of them said “The 100-Level student visited his boyfriend when they were attacked by armed robbers who robbed them of their personal belongings but because she fought them off when they decided to rape angered the hoodlums and shot her in the face.

She continued “Trouble started for Wunmi when a four-man armed robbery gang gained entry into their house thereafter, they held their victims hostage, brandishing guns and cutlasses and later broke into ‘Wunmi’s boyfriend’s room, identified simply as Taiwo and took him away, leaving the lady behind.

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“But later some members of the gang went back to the girl in the room and wunmi was heard pleading for mercy from the robbers but maybe because she failed to cooperate with the robbers she was shot.”

But, one of the victims of the robbery incident said it was while the robbers were trying to remove the gold necklace on the deceased neck and she refused them that made them to shoot her on the head.
Also, during the operation, the robbers were said to have raided all the rooms in the building as well as that of the landlord, carting away three laptops and gold necklaces.

Other items allegedly stolen from the house were 10 mobile phones, wrist watches, perfumes and N26, 000 cash.

After killing the girl, one of the robbers came to meet their victims, including Wunmi’s boyfriend, telling them that they had wounded the girl because she failed to cooperate with them and advised them to take her to the hospital after which the guys were shocked to see her dead.

 After the incident spread to the school community in the early hours of Monday students abandoned their Exams to discuss about the wicked act, students were seen in groups discussing in hush tones, while some were raining curses on the armed bandits who snuffed out life of a promising young gem for no just course.

According to Olalekan Kabirat, a Student of Mass Communication in the University, “ though I don’t know her when she was alive but my conversation with her course mates and friends let me know that she was someone that is very jovial, friendly and kind hearted, but I pray that she Rest In Peace.

Effort to get across to the institution Public Relation Officer Mr. Gbenga Omilola, was unsuccessful as his mobile phone was switched off.

But the Ijebu Area Commander of the Nigeria Police, Usman Alabi, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, confirmed the incident saying, “Police investigations so far revealed that the deceased was killed because she recognized one of the hoodlums.

Corroborating the Area Commander words, The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officers, Prince Muyiwa Adejobi, Adejobi said: ‘’The matter will not go un-investigated. The CP has ordered a thorough investigation, asking both the DPO in the area to work with the relevant departments of the state Command to unravel the killings,” he concluded.

Though, Wunmi has been buried on Monday amid tears and anguish from family members and colleagues in her home town Ijebu Ode in accordance to Islamic rites.

Also, candlelight vigil was done in memory of the late undergraduate at Skyfield in Lagos State on Tuesday.

However, it has been labeled a very sad event but as students and stakeholders in the education sector were still mourning the death of Wunmi the Death of Chioma Obikel Nwosu was also broken.

Like Wunmi, Chioma a 400-level medical Student of Nnamdi Azikwe University Awka was earlier shot by robbers who stopped the car she was travelling in on Friday August 31st but made it to the hospital before finally giving up the ghost on Monday.

 She was said to have been shot by the dare devil robber while trying to escape from the robbery scene. She was committed to mother earth on Thursday September 13th 2012 in her home town.
Her situation was also a course of discussion in the university environment as colleagues were discussing about her, she was regarded as a lady full of vision and aspiration.

According to a friend of the deceased, “the last time I saw her, she never look like someone that will die very soon, because the rate at which people are losing their life on a daily basis is disgusting, now a promising young lady was killed for no offence, when will the federal government stop these dastardly act?” She asked rhetorically.