Parents refute Veritas varsity’s claim on son’s death

• ‘Hospital’s report indicates broken neck, others’

• We await genuine autopsy result – Management

Honourable Daniel Ejigbo and Mrs Ifeoma Ejigbo, the parents of late Joshua Daniel Ejigbo,  a 17-year-old 100-level computer science student of the Catholic Church-owned Veritas University, Abuja, have rejected the institution’s claim on the cause of the death of their son. They said yesterday in Abuja that contrary to reports from the institution via a press statement signed by its spokesperson, Mr Ben Agande, that the student slumped and died during exercise in the gym located in the school, the certificate of cause of death signed by Dr Jubril Paul of the National Hospital, Abuja, revealed that he died from spinal cord injury, broken neck, blunt trauma and asphyxiation.

Mr Ejigbo said, “On our way to Bwari after being informed in an unprofessional way that my son was dead, I received a text from the CMD saying that the corpse had been deposited at the Fatima Hospital; as if my son was a chicken and not a human being.

“In the school’s law, no one leaves the school without confirmation from the parents; which has been the practice since the boy gained admission into their school. Now I don’t know why they quickly took my son and dumped him in a morgue.”

He further said, “The school did not report the case to the police in the school; that’s how careless they were. The security personnel at the police post of the school were not aware that someone died and that a dead body was being taken out of the school. That’s according to them.

“The next day, I went to the Bwari Division to report the case officially. When I spoke to the DPO via my brother-in-law’s phone, he said the Vice Chancellor (VC), Rev Fr Hyacinth Ichoku, told him that we were taking the corpse for funeral. This was what prompted the issue of autopsy. I don’t know why the VC whom I haven’t met officially till this moment will say such a thing.”

He also alleged that apart from the lackadaisical attitude of the school’s management in handling the case, the VC sent him a veiled threat, telling him not to speak to the press.

When contacted, the school’s spokesperson, Ben Agande, said the parents of the deceased had been peddling false news and that the school had nothing to gain in Daniel’s death. Agande said, “First of all, we deeply sympathise with the parents of our late student over the unfortunate incident. May God console them.

“But let me state categorically that Veritas has no hand in the unfortunate incident as is being baselessly alleged. As a demonstration of our transparency, we cooperated fully with every authority, including the NPF that is investigating the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate death of our student.

“We even undertook to bear the cost of the autopsy that was ordered by the police, but the family of our late student declined.

“We are awaiting the official release of the autopsy result by the police force. So, we are not willing to act on speculation of a phantom autopsy result, even if that result is being paraded by members of our late student’s family.”

He further said, “We are sure that no matter how long it takes and no matter how hard purveyors of falsehood try, the truth will certainly prevail and Veritas University will be vindicated of the unfortunate and malicious but unfounded allegation by the family of our late student.

“For us at Veritas University, the death of Joshua or any other student for that matter is regrettable.”

Agande also denied that the VC threatened the victim’s father, saying the message sent was still to sympathise with him and the family.