Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, has dismissed a student, Oladipupo Siwajuola, following a series of serious infractions including engagement in fetish rituals popularly known as ‘Yahoo Plus,’ drug peddling, impersonation, and other violations of the school’s code of conduct.
The student’s exit from the campus and the controversy that followed stirred public interest in May 2025, after his mother accused the institution of negligence via social media posts.
However, the university has now pushed back, saying the narrative shared by the mother was both misleading and false.
In a statement signed by the Director of Marketing and Communication, Dr. Joshua Suleiman, the university clarified that Siwajuola’s disappearance on April 28, 2025, was “deliberate and calculated,” adding that the student disguised himself in a hoodie and exited through the teaching hospital gate without authorisation.
“His disappearance was neither accidental nor a result of negligence by the university. It was a calculated decision coupled with a series of misconducts,” Suleiman stated.
Upon his return to the campus on May 15, reportedly brought in by his father, the student faced interrogation by the institution’s Security Services Department and later appeared before the Disciplinary Committee.
He voluntarily submitted a written statement, reportedly admitting to engaging in various criminal and unethical activities.
According to the university, Siwajuola confessed to obtaining a black soap from a traditional herbalist for N100,000 not for treating a skin condition as claimed by his mother, but for ritual purposes tied to internet fraud, commonly referred to as Yahoo Yahoo Plus.
“He admitted that the soap was for ritual purposes and part of a plan to become wealthy quickly through internet fraud,” the statement said.
Further revelations included allegations of drug peddling, borrowing half a million naira through a loan app to gamble, and impersonating a fellow student in order to open a bank account.
The university also disclosed that Siwajuola sold his personal phone without proper clearance and lied to the buyer by claiming he had his father’s permission.
Contrary to public claims by his mother that her son was found by former classmates, Babcock stated that it was the mother of a friend — whom Siwajuola had been staying with in Lagos — who discovered him and informed his family after noticing the online furore.
“Investigations proved that the mother’s account was inconsistent with reality,” the university said.
“The student’s friend’s mother recognized him and alerted his family, which contradicts the public version given online.”
Following the full disciplinary process, the student was found guilty of multiple offences including unauthorised campus exit, involvement in fetish activities, impersonation, drug-related offences, dishonesty, and the unauthorised sale of personal property.
“The university is committed to upholding the highest moral standards,” Dr. Suleiman explained. “While we understand the emotional strain on the family, we must prioritize the safety and integrity of the entire student body.”
Babcock University also condemned what it termed “baseless and sensational accusations” made by the student’s mother, stressing that the institution bore no responsibility for the disappearance.
“The mother’s accusations were not only false but defamatory,” Suleiman said. “However, given the responsible disposition of the student’s father, the university will refrain from pursuing a libel case at this time.”
The university reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy for activities that contradict its values, including internet fraud, substance abuse, and spiritual malpractice.
