Babcock University in Ilisan Remo, Ogun State, has mourned the sudden death of one of its lecturers, Professor Yinka Olomojobi, at the hands of gunmen.
This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen on Monday by the Director of Communication and Marketing of the university, Dr Joshua Suleiman, describing the tragic death of Olomojobi as a great loss to the institution.
Professor Olomojobi, a renowned scholar in human rights and gender law, was reportedly shot and killed on Friday night around 9 pm at the Ajadeh Event Centre along Iperu-Sagamu Road, Iperu Remo, in the Ikenne Local Government area of Ogun State.
The gunmen, numbering about eight and dressed in black, reportedly stormed the lounge of the event centre and shot Olomojobi for allegedly resisting being abducted by the hoodlums.
Spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, SP Omolola Odutola, in a said the hoodlums reportedly abducted one Dare and another unidentified person during the invasion of the event centre on Monday.
She disclosed that the police, however, nabbed one Awada Ishaya from Plateau State as a prime suspect in the incident.
Ishaya was said to have just been employed two weeks ago as a security guard when the event centre was opened.
The police noted that efforts were ongoing to arrest the culprits and rescue the kidnapped victims.
Meanwhile, the management of Seventh Day University, stated that it received with rude shock the killing of Prof. Olomojobi.
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The statement read “The Babcock University administration regrets to announce the loss of Prof. Yinka Olomojobi, a professor of human rights law and gender law, to suspected kidnappers.
“The tragic incident occurred in Iperu town between 8 pm and 9 pm last Friday, April 19, 2024, along Iperu-Sagamu Road, 8 kilometres from the Ilisan-Remo campus, and 3 kilometres from the Iperu campus of Babcock University, Ogun State.
“This came as a rude shock to the entire university community, which has been thrown into mourning. The Nigeria Police Force is investigating the act of utmost savagery by these suspected kidnappers.
The school noted that the law enforcement agencies, in collaborative efforts with the Ogun State government, are reportedly on the trail of the perpetrators.
They added security had been intensified to ensure the maximum safety of lives and property in the entire axis of the state.
In the statement, the university condoled the family, friends, faculty, staff, and students of the deceased, further praying for God’s comfort and courage to bear the loss.
“The institution has equally assured all its stakeholders—students, parents, the host community, faculty and staff that the university will continue to collaborate with all government security and local vigilance agencies to ensure the maximum protection of lives and property within and around the university environment.
“The partnership with our stakeholders over the years has yielded positive outcomes, and we will continue to explore greater collaborative endeavours to ensure a safer, learning, and living space for all,” the university said.
Prof. Olomojobi, who began his career at Babcock University on April 1, 2011, had a vibrant personality and gave his all to imparting knowledge and empowering the young people at the university where he taught.
He had his Bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB) from Ogun State University (1985–1990) and his Masters and doctoral degree programmes (2006–2010) from the University of Liverpool and Lancaster University, England, respectively.
