The university has, however, described as unconscionable the allegation of cover-up and negligence against it over the student's death, saying it made spirited efforts to save the deceased but to no avail.
The controversy surrounding the sudden death of Joshua Daniel, a 100-level student of Veritas University, Bwari, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is yet to abate as the National Hospital, Abuja, has released the result of the autopsy conducted on the corpse.
This is as a law firm- A&G Solomon Chambers has written the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, seeking his intervention in the efforts to unravel what it described as the mystery surrounding the death of the 17-year-old undergraduate.
The letter, written on the instruction of the parents of the late student- Daniel Ejigbo, and his wife, Ifeoma Ejigbo, was signed on behalf of the law firm by Aboje Ataguba.
The parents are accusing the university of insincerity in its narrative about the death of their first child, insisting that the story of his collapse at the gym leading to his death contradicts the evidence of "stab wounds" found on his body and the result of the autopsy.
The autopsy report, a copy of which PREMIUM TIMES exclusively obtained, indicated that the deceased died from "asphyxia" described as "a condition when the body is deprived of oxygen, causing unconsciousness or death."
The parents are therefore insisting that the university wants to cover up the real cause of the student's death and urged both the minister and the leadership of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Nigeria's regulatory agency for universities, to intervene in the matter "for the sake of other students."
But the university authorities have described as unconscionable the allegation of cover-up and negligence against it, saying it made spirited attempts to save the life of one of the institution's "precious students" but to no avail.
The FCT police command has, however, launched an investigation into the case. The university management has urged the police to release to the public the autopsy report, saying they have nothing to hide about the unfortunate incident and appealed to the public to respect the memory of the departed soul.
Backstory
The university, on 2 May, announced in a statement the death of Mr Daniel, saying he died while keeping fit in the institution's gymnasium.
The statement which was signed by the university's Head of Corporate Affairs, Ben Aganda, noted that the deceased slumped and died at the gym on 30 April.
The statement reads in part: "The parents of the student were promptly informed of the tragic event and the school authority, as a matter of procedure, duly informed the police.
"Our thoughts are with the parents of late Mr Daniel as well as the Head of Department and Students of the Department of Computer Sciences over this unfortunate loss."
Parents kick
The letter dated 3 May and addressed to the minister, a copy of which PREMIUM TIMES obtained, is titled: "Urgent Appeal for Investigation into Negligence, Cover-Up, and Unsafe Environment at Veritas University, Abuja, Leading to the Tragic Death of Joshua Ėjuojo Daniel-Ejigbo."
The parents said the "tragic and suspicious" death of their child "has raised serious concerns about the negligence, uncooperative attitude, and apparent cover-up by the university authorities, as well as the unsafe environment that students are exposed to" on the campus.
The letter reads in part: "According to the university's account, Joshua, a healthy young man without known health issues, was exercising at the campus gymnasium with friends when he allegedly collapsed and died. However, blunt stab wounds were discovered on Joshua's body contradicting the university's claim of an accidental death, suggesting a deliberate attempt to conceal the truth.
"The university's account of Joshua's death is marred by inconsistencies and a lack of transparency. The Vice-Chancellor and other staff members have shown an uncooperative attitude towards the police investigation, with the Vice-Chancellor even refusing to cooperate due to the junior rank of the investigating police officers. The Chief Security Officer, Mr. Paulinus Ali, has obstructed police requests to interrogate witnesses, further raising suspicions of a cover-up.
"Moreover, the tactless manner in which the news of Joshua's death was communicated to his parents is deeply concerning. They were informed by a stranger on the phone, around 11:19 pm, claiming to be the Chief Medical Director of Veritas University, Bwari, Abuja. Meanwhile, the incident was alleged to have happened at about 6 pm. This lack of sensitivity and prompt communication raises immediate red flags about the university's commitment to the welfare and protection of its students."
The parents have, therefore, urged the minister to order "a thorough investigation into the negligence and uncooperative attitude of the university authorities, their attempt to cover up the murder, and the unsafe environment at Veritas University, Abuja."
They also urged the minister to order that immediate measures be put in place to ensure the safety and well-being of all students at the university; ensure transparent updates on the investigation and measures taken to address the issues raised, and prosecute those who may be found complicit in the death and possible cover-up.
Speaking on the phone with PREMIUM TIMES, the mother of the deceased, Mrs Ejigbo, said she spoke to her son on the phone till about 5:40 p.m. on the fateful day, and that he never complained of anything.
"He wanted to fix the screen of his phone, so we spoke in the morning and in the afternoon to remind me of the money I wanted to send to him. When he got the money he called me again and we spoke till around 5:40 p.m. and there was no sign of any troubles with him," Mrs Ejigbo told this newspaper on the phone.
She said she was surprised to be woken up around 11 p.m. by her husband that their sun collapsed and needed attention. "I never knew he was already dead."
On his part, Mr Ejigbo said hours after the incident had happened the university only reached out to him around 11 p.m., and that even when he requested to know where his son's corpse was deposited, he received a terse message from the university's Chief Medical Director, Ogah Agalikwu, that simply read: "Body at Fatimah Hospital, Bwari- CMD."
Mr Ejigbo said he drove to the university between 1 and 2 a.m. and that the condition he found his son at the mortuary informed his decision to take him to the morgue at the National Hospital.
"The wounds we found on his body informed the decision to demand autopsy, which has now been successfully carried out," he said.
He said hours after the incident the university did not report to even the police post on the campus, and that it was his family to report at the police station in Bwari.
Autopsy report
The report of the autopsy conducted at the National Hospital in Abuja, which is dated 6 May, and signed by Jibrin Paul, the clinician in charge, noted that the asphyxia suffered by the late student was caused by both "spinal cord injury" and "blunt trauma".
A health expert at a general hospital in Lagos, identified as Akinrinade, told PREMIUM TIMES, that the blunt trauma could be as a result of the deceased "being hit by blunt objects including brick, fist or even blows with a blunt tool."
Mr Ejigbo, who said he paid for the autopsy, said representatives of the police and the university were present when the autopsy was conducted.
University denies allegations
In response to an inquiry by the newspaper, the Vice-Chancellor of Veritas University, Hyacinth Ichoku, a professor and reverend father, insisted that the late student collapsed and died at the gym.
He, however, directed our reporter to the institution's spokesperson, Mr Aganda, for further engagement.
"But the truth is that the young man was doing gym and collapsed and died in the process. Whatever other lies people are peddling is only designed to tarnish the image of the university. Those who peddle lies shall live by lies," the vice-chancellor said in a short message sent to our reporter.
Mr Aganda on his part said the university followed due process in breaking the news to the family and reported at the police station appropriately.
He was corroborated by the CMD, Mr Ogah, who said he spent about 25 minutes to speak with the deceased's father before he could break the news of the death to him.
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He explained the circumstances surrounding the text message he shared with the parent on the morgue where the boy was deposited, noting that he meant no arm.
Mr Ogah, a septuagenarian, said: "Unfortunately, they did not tell you the preamble to the SMS. Before then, it took me one and a half hours before I could get them on the phone despite the death of his own son. And in the presence of the dean of the students' affairs and the chaplain of the institution, I conversed with him for more than 25 minutes. After rigmaroling then I shared the news that it was unfortunate that we lost him.
"The boy was in the gym and then, he slumped, the weight he was bearing hit him, and he hit his head on the wall and died."
He said after he gave the information, the father was quiet for some minutes, "then he asked where the body was, and I told him the body was being moved to the mortuary, and that once that was done, I would send him a word."
"So eventually when they got to the mortuary, the ambulance driver called me to say they were at the particular mortuary. So with that, I sent him a message that the body is in Fatimah Hospital mortuary in Bwari," he explained.
Meanwhile, when asked if there was CCTV footage of the scene of the incident, the university's spokesperson said he knew the institution had CCTV installed in strategic locations on the campus but could not tell if there was CCTV at the gym where the incident occurred.
Police keep Mum
Meanwhile, efforts to get the reaction of the police by this newspaper were unsuccessful.
While the spokesperson for the FCT police command, Josephine Adeh, neither picked up calls to her mobile telephone line nor replied to a text message sent to her, the Investigative Police Officer (IPO) in charge of the matter, identified simply as Felix, said he could not comment on the matter.
Mr Felix told our reporter on the phone that he has no authority to speak to the media on such a matter.
He said: "If you want to get any information on this you know where to go. So why are you calling me?"
