A 300-level medical student of the University of Ibadan has died after allegedly ingesting an insecticide on Sunday night.
The student, whose identity was withheld, was said to have been found on the ground floor of Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall in an unconscious and distressed state by a fellow student. Sources disclosed that he was foaming at the mouth and appeared disoriented at the time he was discovered.
According to accounts gathered on Monday, the student reportedly admitted to taking a substance identified as Sniper, a commonly used insecticide, shortly before losing consciousness. His roommates immediately alerted hall authorities, who arranged for his transportation through the Students’ Union bus service to Jaja Clinic on campus.
At the clinic, he was said to have been stabilised with oxygen and intravenous fluids before being referred to the emergency unit of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, where he was placed on life support.
The Public Relations Officer of UCH, Funmi Adetuyibi, confirmed the development on Monday. “The student was brought in based on the report that he consumed an insecticide. The hospital responded promptly and provided necessary medical care, but sadly, he did not survive,” she said.
It was gathered that the deceased’s parents, who reside in Akure, Ondo State, were contacted and arrived at the hospital before his passing. While the parents reportedly raised concerns about possible poisoning, some of his roommates maintained that he had admitted to ingesting the substance. They also disclosed that he had recently become withdrawn, seldom attended classes, and had been avoiding calls from his family.
The incident has sparked renewed concerns about students’ mental health and emotional well-being on campuses.
Meanwhile, a volunteer-driven advocacy group, Suicide Is No Solution Initiative, condemned the increasing trend of suicide-themed skits on social media. The group warned that such content could trivialise a serious public health issue and undermine ongoing awareness campaigns aimed at preventing self-harm.
The Project Coordinator of the initiative, Toye Arulogun, described suicide as a grave public health concern that should not be turned into online entertainment. He noted that insensitive digital content could negatively affect vulnerable individuals experiencing emotional distress.
University authorities had yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.
Leave a Reply