The management of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has officially requested assistance from the Osun State Police Command to help locate a female student who has been missing for four days.
According to a statement released by the University's Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju on Sunday, the missing student has been identified as Dorcas Oseghale, a Chemistry Department student with matriculation number CHM/2021/165.
Oseghale was last seen on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, at approximately 8:00 p.m. The university administration reported that she is a resident of Adesanmi House, Ibadan Road, Ile-Ife.
Circumstances of Disappearance
According to university officials, Oseghale had informed her roommate that she was going to purchase food in front of the Students' Village along Ede Road but never returned. When her roommate attempted to contact her, both of Oseghale's phone lines were unreachable.
"At about 3:00 p.m. on August 7, 2025, the University Security Unit intercepted a report of a missing student on a students' social media platform and began tracking conversations related to the matter," Olarewaju stated.
By 6:10 p.m. the same day, a group of Chemistry students, along with Oseghale's roommate, Akinkuade Omobolanle Beatrice from the Department of Agricultural Extension, formally reported the incident to the University's Security Unit.
University's Response and Police Involvement
Due to limitations in human and material resources, the university assigned three security personnel to collaborate with the students and relay preliminary findings to the Nigeria Police for further investigation.
"The Nigerian Police have enough manpower with sound professional and technical expertise to unravel the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the student," Olarewaju emphasized in the statement.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire, commended the students for their prompt reporting of the incident, noting that "their vigilance showed they were their brothers' and sisters' keeper." He urged security agencies to do everything possible to locate Dorcas.
Professor Bamire has appealed to anyone with useful information regarding the student's whereabouts to contact the nearest police station or the University Security Unit immediately.
The University spokesperson assured that the institution will continue to work closely with the police and other security agencies until the matter is resolved.
This incident comes amid growing concerns about campus safety across Nigerian universities, highlighting the importance of robust security measures and quick response protocols for missing persons cases.
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