The Osun State Police Command said on Thursday that an investigation had begun into the circumstances of the death of Treasure Salako, an undergraduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
Salako’s family, friends, and colleagues had been in mourning after her remains were discovered in an unfinished building around the Akarabata community, in the Ile-Ife area of the state.
Speaking about the incident, a former executive member of the Students’ Union who was present at the scene on Wednesday but spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, said there were signs that Salako was depressed, and that he had been informed that the undergraduate had attempted suicide five times.
He said, “I received a call around 4.59pm that a student committed suicide. When I got there, I was outside because I wanted the security to do their examination.
“Later, I discovered that the policemen were already in the building. From reports, it was said that she drank a bottle of Sniper. Her bag was found near her.
“We read her diary; she was quite depressed from what we read inside it. The mother came, and we learnt that they were having family issues and it was gathered that she had attempted suicide five times.”
Meanwhile, a final-year student at the college who identified herself only as Tomi claimed, Salako was slain.
“How old was she? She was just in 100 level. Why would she commit suicide? She might have been murdered,” she told newsmen.
The deceased was seen laying on the ground in a chamber in the unfinished building in a 19-second video clip made accessible to our correspondent on Thursday.
She was dressed in a yellow top and blue jean shorts.
A voice in the background was heard stating, “She drank sniper, she killed herself.”
When contacted, the school’s spokeswoman, Abiodun Olarewaju, stated that the occurrence pained the institution and its Vice Chancellor, Prof Simeon Bamire.
He said, “We received the news of the demise of one of our part one students with a heavy heart. The VC is not happy about the development. Unfortunately, according to the mother, who came all the way from Lagos State because she learnt the daughter was having depression, the girl told the mother she was going to write an examination in the university, only to be found dead in an uncompleted building with a sniper.
“The VC commiserates with all of us, particularly the mother, who is a single parent. The VC urges Nigerians to be their brother’s keeper, as this can help the situation of anyone.”
Salako’s body, according to Olarewaju, had been placed at the OAU Teaching Hospital.
Yemisi Opalola, the state Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the event and said the police had initiated an inquiry.
She said, “We have evacuated the corpse and deposited it at the morgue of the OAUTH Complex, Ile-Ife. People are insinuating suicide because of what was found near the deceased.
“But we are still going ahead with our probe to determine what caused her death. At the hospital, checks would be carried out on the corpse. We will also probe all possibilities to be sure of what must have happened to her.”
