Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, has expelled a student, Oladipupo Siwajuola, over what it described as “gross violation of university rules,” including involvement in fetish practices, drug peddling, impersonation, and dishonesty.
The institution disclosed this in an official statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its Director of Marketing and Communication, Dr. Joshua Suleiman, amid ongoing controversy surrounding the student’s disappearance in April.
Siwajuola’s case gained public attention in early May after his mother took to social media, alleging negligence on the part of the university over his unexplained disappearance. However, the university’s investigation paints a different picture.
According to the statement, Siwajuola exited the campus without authorisation on April 28, disguising himself with a hoodie and sneaking out through the university’s teaching hospital gate. The university maintained that the disappearance was intentional, and not due to negligence as claimed.
“His disappearance was neither accidental nor the result of negligence by the university. Rather, it was a deliberate act, laced with a series of misconducts that violate the Babcock University Student Handbook,” the statement read.
Upon his return to campus by his father on May 15, the student reportedly confessed to several infractions during a formal debriefing with the Security Services Department, corroborated later before the Disciplinary Committee.
Among the revelations was the purchase of a black soap from a traditional herbalist for N100,000. Contrary to his mother’s earlier claim that the soap was for a skin condition, Siwajuola admitted it was for ritual purposes linked to “Yahoo Yahoo Plus,” a slang term for cyber fraud involving fetish practices.
He also confessed to drug peddling, borrowing N500,000 from an online loan app to fund gambling, and impersonating another student to open a bank account. Additionally, the statement noted he had sold his personal phone without permission and misled the buyer by claiming it was with his father’s consent.
In contrast to his mother’s claim that he was found by former secondary school classmates, the university stated that it was the mother of his friend, Sodiq—whom he had been staying with in Lagos—who discovered his presence and alerted the family after noticing the growing online attention.
After thorough investigation, Babcock found Siwajuola culpable for multiple offences including unauthorised campus exit, possession and use of fetish materials, drug peddling, impersonation, dishonesty, and unauthorised sale of personal property.
“In line with its disciplinary policies and global best practices, the university has no choice but to dismiss Siwajuola with immediate effect,” the statement added.
Dr. Suleiman acknowledged the emotional toll the decision may have on the family but insisted that the university’s primary obligation remains the safety and moral well-being of all students.
The university also expressed displeasure over the “sensational and baseless accusations” made by the student’s mother on social media, accusing the institution of complicity in her son’s disappearance.
“These claims were not only false but misleading,” the statement said. However, due to the cooperative conduct shown by the student’s father, the university said it would not pursue a libel case against the family at this time.
Source: NAN
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