By Uche Amunike
A Nigerian Law School student of the Yola Campus of the Nigerian Law School, Ayomiposi Olajuni, has committed suicide allegedly after being barred from writing the Bar Final examination in the school.
According to two students of the school, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, due to the sensitivity of the case, the incident took place on Saturday. The victim, a graduate of Olabisi Onabanjo University, was said to have received a series of queries by the school authorities, stating that he was not qualified to sit for the professional exams which began on the same day.
According to a report by PUNCH Metro, one of the law students who spoke to their correspondent on Sunday, stated that he was issued queries in the past and even though nobody knew the contents of the query letter, it was found out that he was not allowed to participate in the examination.
His words: ‘He was issued queries in the past. Although we did not know the content of the query, he later found out that he would not be allowed to participate in the exams. He became distressed the moment he found out, and this was what led to his demise.’
Another student, however, stated that the Nigerian Law School student in question died after drinking a poisonous substance. Hear him: ‘He consumed a harmful substance on Saturday and passed away on Sunday after he was taken to the Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital, Yola.’
Speaking, after being contacted on Sunday, the Adamawa State Police Command spokesperson explained that he was not allowed to comment on an official examination exercise. He stated that he was in Abuja and just read it in the news just like other others.
Meanwhile, an online news publication stated on Sunday that the deceased Nigerian Law School student took his life after failing to meet the required 75% attendance for qualification.
They reported: ‘Sources at the campus told our reporter that before, names of those who qualified for the exams were usually pasted two weeks before the exams, a situation that allows students who could not make the 75 per cent mark based on genuine health grounds to regularize their situation.’
‘But lately, the school adopted a fresh criterion of placing the names at the eleventh hour for the examinations, leaving no room for such regularization.’
‘On seeing that he did not qualify for the examinations, the student reportedly consumed a substance believed to be a rat poison, resulting in serious illness and death.’
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Suleiman Nguroje, when contacted, stated that the incident was yet to be reported and all efforts to reach the law school for information proved abortive.
His words: ‘We don’t have such a report yet. I have called the DPO in the area and he said he did not have the report . I have also tried calling the law school, but I have not been able to reach them.’
He assured that as soon as he received confirmation, he would revert.
