A member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Etimbuk Daniel, has been confirmed dead while undergoing his compulsory three-week orientation course at the NYSC camp in Enugu State.
PREMIUM TIMES learnt that Mr Daniel was the immediate past president of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the Akwa Ibom State University.
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The deceased hailed from Akwa Ibom State, South-south Nigeria.
Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom announced this in a statement by his spokesperson, Ekerete Udo, which was posted on Facebook on Wednesday.
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Mr Eno described the death of the former SUG president as a painful and devastating loss, not only to his family but to the entire student community of Akwa Ibom State.
“I received with sadness the news of the tragic passing of Comrade Etimbuk Daniel, a promising young leader whose life was cut short while answering the call to serve our nation,” the governor was quoted as saying in the statement.
He condoled with the bereaved family, leadership and members of the National Association of Akwa Ibom State Students, as well as the entire student community of Akwa Ibom extraction across the world over the loss.
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“Our youths are our future, and losing such a brilliant young man, with a bright future ahead of him, is deeply painful. His passing represents a huge loss to our State and the student community he served with dedication.
“At this difficult moment, I pray that God Almighty grants his family, friends, colleagues and the entire student community the fortitude to bear this painful loss,” the governor stated.
He did not specifically mention when the former SUG president died in the NYSC camp.
Allegations of fake drug
Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) earlier alleged that fake drugs and delayed medical attention might have contributed to the death of the former students’ leader at the NYSC camp.
NANS President Akinteye Afeez, in a statement posted on Facebook on Sunday, said he received a report of Mr Daniel’s death with “a rude shock.”
Mr Afeez said the information available to the students’ indicated that the late Daniel complained of a headache and was administered some medication while at the NYSC camp.
“Unfortunately, his condition reportedly worsened after taking the drugs. He requested to be taken to the hospital, but the necessary approval allegedly came too late, and he passed away before he could be taken for medical attention,” he said.
The NANS president continued: “We were further informed that the doctor later identified the drugs administered to him as fake.
“These are deeply troubling allegations that require a thorough investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding his tragic death.”
Mr Afeez stressed that the student community had now entered into mourning even as he condoled with the family, friends, colleagues, and the entire Akwa Ibom State University community over the loss.
“The menace of fake drugs continues to pose a grave threat to lives in our society, and this tragic incident underscores the urgent need for accountability, proper medical care, and stronger measures to protect the lives of our young people,” he said.
“NANS is mourning this painful loss, and our further actions and official position on the matter will be communicated in due course.”
PREMIUM TIMES could not independently verify the claim that the NYSC member died after a fake drug was administered on him.
Also the paper could not immediately confirm that the former SUG president passed after approval to transfer him to the hospital came late.
Like Governor Eno, Mr Afeez did not specifically mention when Mr Daniel died at the NYSC camp.
However, there are indications that the former students’ leader died in the first week of October given that he posted last on Facebook on 4 October, about six days before the report of his death surfaced.
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NYSC authorities yet to speak
PREMIUM TIMES attempted to contact the NYSC Enugu State Secretariat on Wednesday to respond to allegations that a fake drug was administered on him and that the approval to move to the hospital came late.
A mobile phone number belonging to the NYSC Enugu State Secretariat was unreachable when our reporter dialled the phone line.
The secretariat was also yet to respond to a text message sent through the mobile number on Wednesday.
This newspaper also sent the same enquiry to the secretariat’s email address on Wednesday. But the secretariat was yet to respond as of the time of filing this report.
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