Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, has expelled a student, Oladipupo Siwajuola, over what it described as serious breaches of its rules and regulations. The school pointed to a list of alleged offences, including drug peddling, involvement in ritual activities, impersonation, and dishonest acts.
Siwajuola became the subject of public concern in early May 2025 after his mother raised an alarm on social media, claiming the school had failed in its duty of care after her son went missing. Her posts quickly spread online, stirring debate and speculation about the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.
However, the university offered a different account. In an official statement signed by the Director of Marketing and Communication, Dr. Joshua Suleiman, the institution said Siwajuola left campus on April 28, 2025, by disguising himself in a hoodie and sneaking out through the teaching hospital gate without permission.
“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.
The university said the student was brought back to school by his father on May 15, 2025, and was later invited by security officials for questioning. During a formal session with the Disciplinary Committee, Siwajuola reportedly admitted to several wrongdoing, including the use of fetish items.
According to the university, he confessed to buying a black soap from a traditional herbalist for ₦100,000, not for any medical treatment, but for ritual use. This confession stood in contrast to his mother’s earlier claim that the soap was meant to treat a skin condition. He admitted the soap was part of a plan tied to what is popularly known as “Yahoo Yahoo Plus,” an internet fraud scheme that involves ritualistic practices.
Siwajuola also allegedly admitted to selling drugs, taking out an online loan of ₦500,000 to gamble, and impersonating a fellow student to create a bank account. He further sold his phone without getting parental consent, and then falsely told the buyer that his father had approved the sale.
Contrary to his mother’s public statement that his secondary school friends had found him, the university said it was actually the mother of one of his friends who alerted Siwajuola’s family after discovering he was staying at their Lagos home and seeing his face in online reports.
After concluding its investigations, the school declared that Siwajuola had committed several violations including leaving the campus without permission, using fetish items, drug trafficking, impersonation, and dishonesty. Based on these, the university said it was left with no choice but to dismiss him.
“While we recognise the emotional weight of this decision, especially for the family involved, our foremost responsibility remains the safety and moral integrity of all students entrusted to our care,” said Dr. Suleiman.
The university also reacted to the student’s mother’s online accusations, calling them “false” and “misleading.” It noted that though the claims could be legally challenged, the institution chose not to pursue a libel case out of respect for the father’s mature handling of the matter.
