Ayomide Oduntan, a 500-Level Mechanical Engineering student of the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has died.The student, last Thursday, slumped and died on campus, throwing his family into mourning.PUNCH Metro reports that Oduntan died on the day he sat for his last examination in the school.The PUNCH correspondent sighted a short video clip of the student celebrating after writing his final examination shortly before he reportedly slumped and died.The final-year student, who would have celebrated his 21st birthday in October, was said to have been rushed to the school hospital for medical care after he slumped.An uncle of the deceased, Wale Saliu, told our correspondent that family members were still in shock over the news of the sudden death of their son who he claimed was not known to be sick.Saliu said, “He called his mother after sitting for his final examination on Thursday last week to tell her that he had finished and that he was signing out.“Then somebody from the school just called the following day that the boy died. A final year student who was just signing out with all the money spent; at a private university.“Somebody that was still celebrating his sign out as late as 7pm on Thursday and they said he slumped and died just like that. Some family members went there on Saturday. They said the doctor was not around. They said he died on Thursday. They called us on Friday.”Another relative who identified himself simply as Daniel said it was Oduntan’s aged father that started calling other members of the family about the news of the death of his son.He said, “What we heard was that he slumped and died on Friday. It was the dad that now called all of us about the news from the school.“On Friday night, he still posted on his status about his signing out. He called his mom on Thursday to tell her that he was free now and that he would be coming home last week Saturday. It was a shock that they called us on Friday that the son had died. None of the school staff members has deemed it reasonable to come to the house to even explain to them that this was what happened to their child.”The PUNCH correspondent learnt that the remains of the deceased were buried on Tuesday.The school’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr Tunde Olofintilo, confirmed the student’s death in a statement made available to our correspondent on Tuesday.The statement read, “Ayomide, a 500 Level Mechanical Engineering Student, slumped around 10pm on May 31, 2023. He was immediately rushed to the ABUAD Multi-System Hospital. Unfortunately, he was dead before he got to the hospital.“He was immediately attended to in the presence of his colleagues, but all attempts to resuscitate him failed.”Olofintilo added that the university had ordered an autopsy by an independent pathologist after it requested and obtained a corona’s inquest, saying the result was still being awaited.He added, “About the autopsy, the university requested and obtained a Coroner’s Inquest after which an autopsy was carried out. The report of the autopsy which was conducted by an independent pathologist is being awaited.“The police issued a warrant to bury the dead body following the conduct of the post-mortem examination.“As a university, we sincerely commiserate with the family and pray we will not witness such again.”

A Federal High Court sitting in Akure, Ondo State has remanded four persons for impersonation and examination malpractices in the examination conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB.The suspects have been identified as Timilehin Akinwale, Olayinka Mustapha, Peter Okereke, and Feranmi Adesuyi.The first three defendants; Akinwale, Mustapha and Okereke committed the offence of impersonation on February 15, 2023, during the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination at a Computer-Based Test centre located at Aina Awaw International College, Ilu Abo, Akure.Adesuyi on the other hand, committed the said offence on April 28 at Amable Nigeria Limited CBT Centre in Owo, during the 2023 JAMB examination.The police prosecutor, Moses Osimhen said the offences were contrary to Section 3(3)(c) of the Examination Malpractices Act, Cap E15, LFN, 2004 and punishable under the same section. The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.While the prosecutor prayed the court to remand the suspects pending the date for the hearing, the defendants’ counsel, Clement Falana and Austin Agbounghale, pleaded for the court to grant their clients bail. According to them, the offences committed by the defendants were bailable.The presiding judge, Justice T. B. Adegoke, granted the prosecutor’s plea. Adegoke who ordered that the suspects be remanded at the Olokuta Custodial Centre, adjourned the case till July 12, 2023, for hearing.

The First Lady, Aisha Buhari has revealed that Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari is passionate about youth development. She added that her husband holds in high esteem the contributions of Nigerian youths to nation-building through the NYSC. The first lady disclosed this at the flag-off of medical outreaches under the NYSC Health Initiative For Rural Dwellers held in commemoration of the scheme’s 50th anniversary. She also urged Nigerians to support the activities of corps members to ensure they continue to make an enormous impact on the local economy and rural dwellers. “Mr President is particularly passionate about the NYSC. His support for the Scheme is driven by his belief in one Nigeria, and sincere appreciation of the contributions of these young men and women. To this effect, the First Family always treats corps members serving in Daura, Katsina State, to presidential receptions during Sallah festivities. “While I join millions of Nigerians in celebrating the NYSC at 50, I call on the management of the scheme as well as the corps members not to relent in their efforts in promoting unity of the country by providing quality service delivery to the Nation irrespective of State or place of service. “I have noted with great satisfaction, the giant strides of the Scheme through the provision of health care to Nigerians.” Speaking further, she said “The introduction of the HIRD programme has largely been successful. As part of my Office’s appreciation, the donation of a well-equipped mobile clinic to the Scheme is to enhance the success of the Corps Medical team. I am sure that this facility would continuously assist in this respect. “I am optimistic that the commemoration of the five decades of NYSC’s existence, coupled with the introduction of the HIRD outreach, will further validate the argument for the continued relevance of the Scheme.” In his remarks, the NYSC Director-General, Brig Gen Yusha’u Ahmed, said NYSC had been helping in the development of Nigeria. “The Scheme has long been a catalyst of our socio-cultural, political, and economic development. “Like other developing countries, Nigeria faces challenges in its health sector, but concerted efforts are being made by various stakeholders, including the NYSC, with a view to making the system more functional.”