Concerns over mental health and student welfare have resurfaced at the Federal University of Technology Akure following the death of a 23-year-old undergraduate, Favour Olaniyi, whose body was discovered in a bush near the institution’s North Gate area on Saturday.
Olaniyi, a student in the Department of Surveying and Geo-informatics, was found close to his off-campus residence in Akure, prompting anxiety among students and residents around the university community. Authorities said an empty container of suspected toxic herbicide was recovered at the scene, raising questions about the circumstances surrounding the incident.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the university’s Director of Corporate Communication and Protocol, Adegbenro Adebanjo, confirmed the death and described it as tragic. He said the institution immediately contacted the police after the discovery, while medical personnel and security operatives evacuated the body to the mortuary. According to the university, the student’s family has also been informed.
The institution used the incident to remind students of the counselling and support services available through its Students Affairs Division. University officials said efforts were ongoing to provide emotional support for affected students, while encouraging undergraduates dealing with personal or emotional challenges to seek guidance rather than suffer in silence.
The Ondo State Police Command confirmed that detectives had commenced investigations into the case. Police spokesperson, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, said preliminary observations showed no visible signs of violence on the deceased, adding that the body had been deposited at the mortuary for further examination as investigators work to determine what happened.
The incident has again drawn attention to growing conversations around emotional wellbeing among young Nigerians, especially within tertiary institutions. Security officials and university authorities are urging students to speak up during periods of distress and make use of counselling channels, as concerns mount over the pressures confronting many young people on and off campus.
