UI student disappears from Lagos construction site, family panic

The family of a 22-year-old undergraduate at the University of Ibadan, Samson Ajayi, is in despair after he went missing while going to work on a construction site in the Ajah area of Lagos State.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the incident happened on March 9, 2022 and the case was reported at the Ogombo Police Station.

Samson’s uncle, Taiwo Ajayi, said the victim stayed with his parents in the Alagbado area of Lagos State due to the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

He explained that Samson went to work on the construction site so as not to be idle, adding that efforts by the family to find him were abortive.

The relative said he suspected foul play from co-workers on the construction site.

Taiwo said, “His colleagues reported his absence to his mother on the telephone. On Thursday, March 10, I and his mother went to the construction site. On getting there, we made calls and searched everywhere, but we could not find him.

“Since his colleagues had yet to report the case to the police, we decided to report at the Ogombo Police Station, but we were told to come back the following day, Friday, March 11.

“We later wrote a petition to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Abiodun Alabi, who said the case should be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba.

“The police arrested some suspects, including the site engineer and the three security guards on the site.

“However, they showed the family a burnt corpse; there were also trousers and a shoe by the riverside, which they claimed to be Samson’s.

“We discovered that the body looked more than two weeks old and the body appeared older than my missing nephew.

“The suspects who were detained were later released. When we asked the CP about the release, he said he was not aware of it.”

PUNCH Metro learnt that the family had hired a Lagos-based lawyer, Femi Falana, to get to the root of the matter.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said, “The case was reported at the Ogombo Police Station and they started investigation but because of the seriousness the case deserved, it was transferred to the headquarters for detailed investigation.

“The team handling it at the headquarters is still investigating and soon, I should be able to give you further updates on that case.” (The PUNCH: Excludes headline)