Babcock Responds to Public Uproar, Expels Student Over Yahoo Plus, Drug Allegations

Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, has expelled a student, Oladipupo Siwajuola, following an internal investigation into what the institution described as “gross violation of university rules,” including involvement in fetish practices, drug peddling, impersonation, and dishonesty.

The case sparked public outrage in early May 2025 after Siwajuola’s mother publicly accused the university of negligence following her son’s sudden disappearance from campus.

In an official statement issued on Wednesday and signed by the institution’s Director of Marketing and Communication, Dr. Joshua Suleiman, Babcock University maintained that the student’s disappearance was not due to any institutional lapse. Instead, it said Siwajuola deliberately left the campus on April 28, 2025, wearing a hoodie and exiting through the university’s teaching hospital gate without authorization.

“His disappearance was neither accidental nor the result of negligence by the university. Rather, it was a deliberate act, laced with a series of misconducts that violate the Babcock University Student Handbook,” the statement read.

The university revealed that Siwajuola was brought back to campus by his father on May 15, 2025, after which he was debriefed by campus security. In a voluntary statement—later repeated before the Disciplinary Committee—he reportedly confessed to several misconducts.

Among them was the purchase of a black soap from a traditional herbalist for N100,000, which he admitted was intended for ritual purposes as part of a “Yahoo Yahoo Plus” scheme, contradicting earlier claims by his mother that it was for a skin condition.

Siwajuola also allegedly confessed to drug peddling, borrowing N500,000 from a loan app to gamble, impersonating another student to open a bank account, and selling his phone without authorization, while lying to the buyer about receiving parental consent.

Responding to claims that he was rescued by former schoolmates, the university clarified that it was the mother of a friend he was staying with in Lagos who alerted authorities after discovering his identity amid the online backlash.

Following the investigation, the university concluded that Siwajuola had violated several key policies, including unauthorized campus exit, use of fetish materials, drug-related offenses, impersonation, dishonesty, and unauthorized sale of property.

“In line with university policy and global best practices, the student was dismissed immediately,” the statement confirmed.

Dr. Suleiman acknowledged the gravity of the decision but emphasized that the university’s primary responsibility remains the safety, discipline, and moral integrity of its student body.

The institution also responded to what it termed “sensational and baseless accusations” made by Siwajuola’s mother, stating: “These claims were not only false but also misleading. However, given the responsible conduct shown by the student’s father, the university will not pursue a libel case at this time.”