EBSU final-year student commits suicide after ‘repeatedly failing a course’

Favour Ugwuka, a final-year student of Ebonyi State University in Abakaliki (EBSU), has committed suicide after she was said to have repeatedly failed a course. 

Ugwuka was said to have taken her life in her hostel at the Ishieke campus on Wednesday night.

The Department of English student was said to have passed all her courses but repeatedly failed one subject over alleged threats by the course lecturer.

In a now-viral video, a woman called out the school authorities, claiming her daughter was frustrated by one of their lecturers.

The video was also accompanied by a voice note purported to be from the deceased wherein she vented her frustration with the lecturer.

“The lecturer said he is the best, that nobody can teach like him. He should come and carry my daughter who has committed suicide,” the woman said.

Josh Ukandu, the Ebonyi state police spokesperson, confirmed the student’s demise to TheCable Lifestyle on Friday.

“I do not know the details of what led to whatever. As of now, it is just a reported suicide case. We cannot even say conclusively what it is. We just got the report that the student committed suicide,” he said.

“What I am saying is, we got a report of a suicide. So I cannot say the reasons behind it. I cannot even say whether it is a suicide or not. As you said, a lot of things are flying online with regard to the issue. The report was that somebody committed suicide, a girl and a student of Ebonyi State University.”

The PRO said if the family of the deceased “suspects something,” they should report it to the police for investigation.

“I cannot confirm that. The report came as a suicide and of course, if the report comes as a suicide there is nothing to investigate. So, now it behooves the family of the person who committed suicide, maybe say that ‘we are suspecting something’ which will now lead to the investigation. Probably they have come now, but the report I only saw was the suicide,” he added.

“I do not have any interface with the people that gave the report. Whether anybody has come to now say they think it is not suicide but something else.”