A first-year student at the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Favour Olaniyi, was found dead near his off-campus residence on Friday, 9 May 2026. The body was discovered in a bush along the FUTA North Gate.
Favour Olaniyi was a student in the Department of Surveying and Geoinformatics. Police were called to the scene, where detectives observed no visible marks of violence on the body.
A bottle suspected to contain a poisonous substance was recovered at the location. The body has been taken to the morgue for preservation and further examination.
Adegbenro Adebanjo, FUTA Corporate Communication and Protocol Director, confirmed the incident in a statement issued in Akure on Sunday. He said university medical officials and security operatives assisted in evacuating the body and that police were immediately notified.
The university has informed the student's parents and is cooperating with the ongoing police investigation. Counseling support is being provided to affected students through the student affairs division.
Ondo State Police Command Public Relations Officer Abayomi Jimoh said detectives visited the scene and found no signs of physical assault. He urged young people to seek professional help during difficult times.
Favour Olaniyi died under unclear circumstances just days after starting his first year, and a suspected poisonous substance was found at the scene. The university's call for students to use support channels offers no explanation for how a young scholar ended up dead in a bush. If the bottle held poison, questions remain about what led a new student to that spot and whether campus welfare systems failed. Parents now await answers while a fresh investigation begins.
Editorial note: AI-assisted opinion. All persons mentioned are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Full disclaimer →
