The Ekiti State Police Command has confirmed that a 21 year-old student of Ekiti State University (EKSU), earlier reported missing, has been found safe in Osogbo, Osun State.
The student, identified as Damilola Praise, was declared missing after leaving Lagos for Ado-Ekiti on January 5. According to police, Damilola initially contacted his parents upon arriving in Ado-Ekiti to confirm his safe arrival, but his phone lines later became unreachable, raising concerns among family members and friends.
In a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abutu Sunday, said the report prompted immediate action by the command. He disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, CP Joseph Eribo, directed the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) to commence a comprehensive investigation to determine the student’s whereabouts.
Sunday explained that operatives of the SCIID, through sustained intelligence and tracking efforts, successfully traced and located Damilola in Osogbo, Osun State.
“During interrogation, the student stated clearly that he was neither kidnapped nor abducted,” the police spokesperson said. “He explained that he deliberately stayed out of contact with his parents due to his poor academic performance.”
According to the police, Damilola revealed that he had decided to temporarily withdraw from school after feeling unable to cope academically. He then relocated to Osogbo, where he sought alternative means of livelihood and has since secured a menial job with a private security company.
The police command noted that further investigations would continue to properly document the case and take any necessary actions. The Commissioner of Police also cautioned members of the public against spreading unverified information on social media, stressing that such reports could cause unnecessary panic and anxiety.
The Ekiti State Police Command reiterated its commitment to prompt investigation of missing-person reports and urged the public to rely on verified information from official sources.
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