Fresh concerns have emerged over the safety of students at union activities following the reported stabbing and death of an Osun State Polytechnic, Iree (OSPOLY), student during the 2026 NANS JCC Osun Convention in Osogbo.
The development has prompted a group identifying itself as Osun State Concerned Students to petition the Osun State Police Command, seeking a thorough, impartial and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Ademiju Ayeni, popularly known as Jago.
Ayeni was reportedly stabbed around the entrance of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Osogbo on Friday, August 28, during the convention. He was subsequently taken for medical attention but later died.
While the circumstances surrounding the reported stabbing and Ayeni’s death remain unclear, the petition has raised questions about what transpired at the venue, the security arrangements in place and the events leading to the student’s death.
Students Petition Police
In a petition dated August 29 and addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Osun State Command, the concerned students called for an investigation into the reported altercation and stabbing.
The petition alleged that an altercation occurred around the commencement of the convention and that Ayeni was stabbed by an individual whose identity and status at the event should be established by investigators.
The petitioners also alleged that Ayeni was initially taken to LAUTECH Hospital for treatment but was reportedly not admitted. He was subsequently taken to Mercyland Hospital along Olude, Osogbo, where he reportedly died.
However, the medical account contained in the petition could not be independently verified by EduTimes Africa.
Read also: NANS Convention: Osun Poly Student Stabbed to Death in Osogbo
The petitioners asked the police to establish what triggered the altercation, identify the alleged assailant and determine whether other individuals were involved.
They also urged investigators to examine how any weapon allegedly used in the incident entered the convention venue and to investigate the circumstances surrounding the issuance and use of security identification tags at the event.
Several individuals were mentioned in the petition as persons who, according to the petitioners, could provide information relevant to the investigation.
The petition identified Comrade Ajani Olanrewaju, popularly known as “Fabulous,” as the person who allegedly brought Ayeni from Iree to Osogbo for the convention. The petitioners requested that he be invited to provide information concerning Ayeni’s movement to the venue and the events surrounding the incident.
Alabi Taofeek Ariyibi, known as “Ijaya,” and Tobi Alagbada were also mentioned in connection with allegations concerning access to the venue and security identification tags.
Olalekan Rokeeb Olabamiji was similarly named as someone the petitioners described as being close to Ayeni and an eyewitness to the incident.
The petitioners, however, stressed that the individuals named in the petition were not being accused of committing the reported attack, but were identified because they were believed to possess information that could assist investigators.
The group called on the police to interview relevant witnesses, preserve and examine available evidence, investigate the medical circumstances surrounding Ayeni’s death and prosecute anyone found culpable.
Journalist Calls for Investigation
Meanwhile,OSPOLY Alumni Lebi Anuoluwapo, who spoke to EduTimes Africa by phone, said some of the information he received about the incident came from a friend who was present at the convention.
According to Lebi, his contact learnt at the venue that Ayeni was an IT student.
He also said his source described the alleged weapon as “Obe Makanje”, a Yoruba expression referring to a sharp-headed knife.
Lebi said the account raised questions about the circumstances of the attack but stressed that claims that the weapon was poisonous or that its use indicated that the attack was premeditated had not been independently verified.
He therefore called for an investigation rather than conclusions based on unverified accounts.
According to him, the relevant authorities should establish what happened, identify those involved and determine the circumstances surrounding Ayeni’s death.
Popoola Demands Answers
The call for transparency has also come from Olayinka Popoola, an aspirant who later withdrew from the NANS JCC Osun chairmanship contest.
In a statement titled “A Call for Transparency and Justice,” Popoola questioned what he described as insufficient public information following the incident.
He called on the NANS Southwest Coordinator, Josiah Adeyemo, and the NANS National President, Akinteye Babtee Babatunde, to clarify what they knew about the development.
Popoola also called on the Osun State NUJ leadership to address the reported violence, given that the incident allegedly occurred around the entrance of the NUJ Press Centre.
He further sought information from the Osun State Police Command, through its Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, as well as the Department of State Services.
For Popoola, the incident should be treated as an issue of transparency and accountability rather than simply another dispute arising from a student election.
New NANS JCC Leadership Appeals for Calm
The newly elected leadership of NANS JCC Osun Axis has meanwhile appealed for calm among students and other stakeholders.
In a statement issued on August 29, the new leadership mourned Ayeni and extended condolences to his family, friends, the OSPOLY community and the wider Osun student constituency.
The leaders said candidates and participants at the convention were focused on the electoral proceedings inside the venue and only became aware of the tragic development afterwards.
They urged students to reject retaliation and avoid spreading unverified information capable of escalating tension.
«“No student election or leadership ambition is worth the life of a student.”»
The new leadership said the election had ended and called on members of the Osun student community to prioritise peace, reconciliation and unity.
The statement was signed by Comrade Keinde Ayokule Temiloluwa (Kaywhytee), Chairman-Elect; Comrade Odewale Favour Olatunde (Oladex), General Secretary-Elect; and Comrade Adediran Okikijesu (Okiki), Public Relations Officer-Elect.
Questions Over Student Safety
The latest development has shifted attention from the outcome of the NANS JCC Osun election to broader questions about student safety at union activities.
Among the issues raised by the petitioners are what triggered the reported altercation, who allegedly stabbed Ayeni, how the alleged weapon entered the venue and what happened between the reported stabbing and his eventual death.
However, no criminal responsibility has been established against any of the individuals named in the petition, and the allegations remain subject to investigation.
As of the time of filing this follow-up report, EduTimes Africa had not obtained an official police account establishing the full circumstances surrounding Ayeni’s death.
The new NANS JCC Osun leadership has urged students to remain calm and allow the relevant authorities to investigate the incident.
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