The family of a University of Lagos student who drowned at Eleko Beach has raised troubling questions over the circumstances of his death.
Oluwadamilola Balogun, 27, had just been sworn in as president of the Nigerian Universities Education Students Association (UNILAG chapter) when he joined colleagues for what was described as a celebratory outing. Days later, his body was recovered from the sea.
His mother, Elizabeth Abiola, stated that she was informed by relatives and lecturers that, following a handover ceremony on September 17, the students left the campus and proceeded to Eleko Beach. According to police accounts, 12 students attended the gathering, but only Balogun failed to return.
Witnesses claimed he played football with locals before insisting on swimming. A fellow student, Kelvin, said that waves carried him away, adding that he had reported the incident to the police.
However, the family disputes this version. His uncle, Joseph Ayobami, said Balogun’s phone contained no evidence of a beach party. “There are glaring inconsistencies,” he said, pointing to videos showing the student behaving in a way he described as “unnatural” before entering the water.
Relatives are particularly uneasy about the role of a woman named Rofia, who briefly met Balogun at the beach, and about why warnings against beach gatherings were ignored.
Abiola insists her son, who studied Adult Education, rarely visited beaches and may have been lured. “There are still questions these students need to answer,” she said.
For the family, the pain is deepened by uncertainty. “We are not accusing anyone of killing Dami,” Ayobami added. “But until the gaps are addressed, we cannot accept this as the will of God. We just want to be sure of what really happened.”
Leave feedback about this