Babcock University, located in Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, has firmly denied allegations that one of its students, Oladipupo Siwajuola, went missing on campus, stating that the student left school premises without authorization.
In a statement released on Monday by the institution’s Director of Communication and Public Relations, Dr. Joshua Suleiman, the university criticized the public claims made by the student’s mother, Mrs. Fijabi Omotayo, calling them misleading and damaging.
The school said it is considering taking legal steps over what it described as false accusations shared across social media platforms.
According to the university, Oladipupo—who is enrolled in the JUPEB programme—exited the campus without proper clearance, in violation of the institution’s policies.
“The student departed the university without going through the official process or notifying the appropriate authorities,” the statement clarified.
The school added that unconfirmed reports suggested the student was eventually located in Akute, Ogun State, an area where he had previously attended secondary school.
Prior to his disappearance, the university said some of his roommates had raised concerns about his behavior, which included the use of traditional skincare items like black soap and a local sponge.
These, according to the university, made others uncomfortable and triggered suspicion due to existing policies against potentially fetish items.
Mrs. Fijabi had reportedly said those items were part of a natural treatment for her son’s skin condition, which included a herbal mixture with turmeric, lemon, and neem leaves.
However, the university claimed this did not allay the concerns of those living with him.
The school also accused the parent of attempting to suppress routine monitoring by asking her son’s roommates not to report his absence—a claim they said is backed by WhatsApp chat evidence.
Oladipupo’s prolonged absence was eventually noticed during routine checks, prompting the school to escalate the matter to the police for further investigation. The university added that disciplinary proceedings would be initiated to allow all parties involved a fair hearing.
Babcock University emphasized that it will defend its reputation and may pursue legal action if defamatory statements continue.
“We reserve the right to seek legal remedies for reputational harm caused by baseless public claims,” the university stated.
Earlier, Mrs. Fijabi had posted an emotional video on Facebook, claiming her son had not been seen since April 27. She criticized the university’s response and accused school officials of shielding students last seen with him.
In a later update, she confirmed her son had been found but did not provide details about where or how he was located.