Ogun State government has confirmed the death of a yet-to-identified student of Ilugun High School (Junior), Elega, Abeokuta, who got drowned while fleeing from the bullets fired by operatives of the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN) “Amotekun” Corps on Friday, September 26, 2025.
The state government also suspended two female Principals of both Junior and Senior arms of the school – Mrs. Olukoga Adeyemi Alaba and Ladipo Olabisi Temitope – indefinitely for their alleged roles in demanding an illegal N7,500 from students as condition for checking their examination results.
The state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, who confirmed this on Tuesday, said the late student was identified with three different names.
He also confirmed the suspension of the two female Principals while briefing reporters same Tuesday in Abeokuta, the state capital.
The Daily Crucible reports that students of Ilugun High School had last Friday, went unruly and attacked teachers on sight within the school premises in the Elega area of Abeokuta North Local Government in protest over the death of one of their colleagues.
It was learnt that the management of both Junior and Senior arms of Ilugun High School had demanded the sum of N7,500 per student as a requirement for checking one’s results for the JSS and SSS examinations.
The affected students were said to have protested the illegal charge, prompting the school to invite the “Amotekun” Corps to contain the unrest.
But in the law and order maintaining mission went awry as operatives of the Amotekun Corps allegedly chased the protesting students to the direction of a nearby river behind the school’s perimeter fence.
It was learnt that three of the fleeing students scaled the school fence and landed in a canal, where one of them got drowned.
Addressing reporters on Tuesday, Arigbabu explained that the deceased student was identified with three different names as Babalola Ayomide, Salako Jimoh and Afolabi Babalola, “yet, none of these names appear in our official state education database, the OGSERA platform”.
The Commissioner said: “our preliminary investigations have revealed a very disturbing twist. The young man who lost his life could not be confirmed as a bona fide student of the school. He was identified by three different names – Babalola Ayomide, Salako Jimoh, and Afolabi Babalola. Yet, none of these names appear in our official state education database, the OGSERA platform, which authenticates all school enrolments.
“This points to the likelihood of an illegal enrolment. In addition, we also discovered that the Principal of Ilugun High School (Junior) had been involved in the collection of illegal fees.
“In light of these findings, government has decided to place both the Junior and Senior Principals of Ilugun High School on suspension, while we conduct a thorough investigation into the immediate and remote causes of this unfortunate incident.
“Also in order to keep abreast of happenings in schools, a scheme called Whistle Blowers has been established by the government through the Teaching Service Commission to control illegalities, wrong doings and others.
Arigbabu assured that the present administration remained “unshaken in its commitment to provide free education for every school-age child in this State, irrespective of where they live, their gender, economic status, religious belief, or political affiliation.
“I must also appeal to the students: while we share in your grief, please do not vent your anger by destroying school property. We all know that we are still battling with inadequate infrastructure in our schools. Destroying the little we have will only make the situation worse, not better.
He emphasised that anyone found culpable in the matter will not go unpunished, but be made to face the full weight of the law.
“We ask everyone to remain calm as investigations continue. Government will be transparent, and justice will be done,” he concluded.
