The management of Babcock University has reacted to the social media claims concerning its student, Oladipupo Siwajuola, by his mother, Fijabi Oyindamola Omotayo, that her son was missing.
Though Omotayo later claimed that her son had been found, she was silent on where the son was found and the circumstances that surrounded his disappearance from the school.
Omotayo had cried profusely during a live Facebook video on Saturday and called on the members of the public as well as the security agencies to help locate her son.
However, Babcok, in a statement issued by its Director of Communication and Public Relations, Dr Joshua Suleiman, alleged that the mother was aware of the bad behaviour of the student.
Suleiman, in the statement which was sent to parents of students in the school, said Oladipupo was found in Ifo, Ogun State.
His statement was titled: ‘Mother’s online sensational outbursts over ‘missing’ son: Babcock sets the record straight’.
Suleiman described Oladipupo as a one-year academic Joint Universities Preliminary Examinations Board programme student of the school.
He said that contrary to public assertions, the student left the university campus unlawfully, without following established protocols or obtaining proper clearance from the university authorities.
He said the student’s exit from the campus was neither approved nor known to the university at the time he was declared missing and that the student’s mother took to social media to sensationalise the situation, and falsely accused Babcock and its students of negligence and complicity.
Suleiman said, ‘‘First and foremost, we are pleased to inform the public that certain reliable sources suggest the student in question has returned from his hiding place to her mother’s care,’’ adding that ‘‘unverified reports indicate that Oladipupo Siwajuola emerged from his hiding place in Akute in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria, a town very close to Lagos State where he previously attended secondary school.’’
He said the student’s mother had yet to contact the university to confirm the situation.
He said, ‘‘Oladipupo is going to appear before the Student Disciplinary Committee of the university, particularly to be given, as usual, the opportunity of fair hearing, to clear himself for the misconducts allegedly perpetrated by him after the end of ongoing investigation.
‘‘In the same vein, any other alleged person (student or employee) indicted in the ongoing investigation will equally appear before the appropriate university committee,’’ he added.
Suleiman added that the school’s preliminary findings showed that on several occasions, the student’s room expressed concern to his mother via WhatsApp about his suspicious and unsettling behaviour.
They were also said to have mentioned that he had recently been using a “local sponge and black soap,” which created an unpleasant atmosphere in their room. In response, his mother explained that she had given him those items to help treat various skin conditions.
The statement said, ‘‘She also mentioned that she had prepared a mixture of lemon, turmeric, and leaves for him to use as skin cream. This explanation of hers did not sit well with the roommates as the roommates were aware of well documented university policy to all students and employees that Babcock University does not allow the use of fetish looking and or suspicious items on its campus.
‘‘It is our belief that she adopted the said explanation as a measure to cover up her son’s misdemeanours. Additionally, the roommates informed her about his growing debts to other students and other misdemeanours (inappropriate behaviours) of his, including the University prohibited act of gambling which they had refrained from reporting to the university authorities.
‘‘His mother thanked them for their discretion and pleaded with them not to report him to the university authorities, fearing it could lead to disciplinary action. She expressed appreciation to them for always notifying her of her son’s wrongdoings and sought their advice on how best to handle him.
‘‘It is imperative to also add at this juncture that it is on record that the mother of Oladipupo was fully aware of the threat carried out by her son, to ‘shook’ one of his roommates, Tobi Famuyiwa, with an object, for calling his mother and reporting him to her.’’
On what the mother told the university, Suleiman said, ‘‘Oladipupo’s mother who had taken him home earlier for JAMB examination, returned him to school on Monday, 28 April, 2025, after he had completed his JAMB examination (supporting documents attached). She noticed that he was not as cheerful or lively as he used to be.
‘‘Upon arrival at home while away for his JAMB examination, she requested to see his phone. Oladipupo claimed the phone was on the table in his room. His mother asked him to call his roommates to confirm. They responded that there was no phone on the table.
‘‘Oladipupo then changed his story, stating that he had left the phone with his roommate, Lampard Sowemimo. Upon returning to school, Oladipupo’s mother again asked for the phone. Oladipupo claimed it was still with Lampard, who had not yet resumed. Lampard is a community (off-campus) student and does not reside on school premises.
‘’However, Lampard only had in his possession the SIM card of Oladipupo, which Oladipupo had removed from his own phone and used it in Lampard’s device to maintain communication with his mother. His mother returned to campus the same day after realising that Oladipupo had taken the key to their house at home.
‘‘She once again asked about the phone, but Oladipupo claimed the battery had died. It was later discovered that Oladipupo had sold his phone and had been lying to his mother all along. A student named Tobi Famuyiwa decided to inform Oladipupo’s mother about her son’s misconduct. Meanwhile, the school’s routine room inspection system flagged Oladipupo’s unlawful absence and other suspected misdemeanors.
‘‘The students who were expected to report his absence failed to do so because Oladipupo’s mother had pleaded with them not to involve the university authorities.
‘‘In doing so, Oladipupo’s mother obstructed the university’s reporting procedures (WhatsApp chat evidences are available). Upon receiving Tobi’s report, Oladipupo’s mother confronted her son. Angered by this, Oladipupo returned to the residence hall the same day (28 April 2025) to confront and threaten Tobi for reporting him.
‘‘That night, Oladipupo left the room wearing a hoodie and carrying a backpack. After selling his phone, Oladipupo installed his banking app on Lampard’s phone and gave him access to his banking credentials. Oladipupo’s mother, noticing unusual transaction activity on her son’s account, quickly withdrew the remaining funds therein.
‘‘Before she could intervene, Oladipupo had already made several withdrawals to repay his several creditors. His mother also mentioned receiving a report that Oladipupo was involved in gambling activities, specifically with Bet9ja (this may be supported by his bank statement).
‘‘Until Wednesday, April 30, 2025, Oladipupo continued chatting with his mother using his laptop. On Friday, May 2, 2025, Oladipupo’s mother formally reported the matter to the Student Development Office. The case was also reported to the university security department that same day. Lampard was immediately invited and interrogated for several hours at the SOP (Student Operational Post) until the night of Saturday, 3 May, 2025.’’
The university said it would continue to work with the police and appropriate authorities to understand the full facts of the incident.
