Final-Year AAU Student Found Dead After Five Days Missing

A final-year student of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, identified only as Blessing, has been found dead—five days after she was declared missing under suspicious circumstances. 

Blessing, who was in the Department of Microbiology, was last seen on campus on Sunday, July 27, 2025. According to university sources, she failed to show up for an important examination scheduled for the following day, raising initial concern among her classmates and lecturers. 

Her sudden disappearance sparked worry among fellow students, friends, and family, especially after messages reportedly sent from her mobile phone suggested that she had been abducted. The messages, which included demands for ransom, heightened fears that she may have been kidnapped. 

Despite efforts to trace her whereabouts, her decomposing body was eventually discovered by police officers inside the compound of her off-campus residence. The shocking discovery has left the university community and the local residents in mourning and disbelief. 

Spokesperson for the Edo State Police Command, SP Moses Yamu, confirmed the incident in a statement issued to the press. He noted that a full-scale investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances surrounding her death, including whether foul play or negligence was involved. 

“We are treating this case with the seriousness it deserves. An autopsy will be conducted, and we urge anyone with relevant information to come forward,” Yamu stated. 

Meanwhile, students at AAU have expressed outrage and sorrow over the incident, calling on both the university management and security agencies to improve safety measures for students, particularly those living off-campus. 

The university is yet to release an official statement, but sources within the administration confirmed that counseling services are being made available for affected students. 

This tragic event adds to growing concerns about student safety in the region, especially as the institution continues to face various challenges, including infrastructural deficits and strained relations between staff and management.