Comrade Etimbuk Daniel, the immediate past Students’ Union Government (SUG) President of Akwa Ibom State University, has died at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp in Enugu State.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) confirmed the death on Sunday afternoon.
NANS President, Comrade Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, announced the development in a statement.
According to the statement, Daniel reportedly complained of a headache at the orientation camp and was given some medication. However, his condition allegedly worsened after he took the drugs.
The statement further claimed that the deceased requested to be taken to the hospital but that the necessary approval was allegedly delayed. He reportedly died before he could receive medical attention.
NANS also said it was informed that a doctor later identified the drugs administered to Daniel as fake, raising concerns about the circumstances surrounding his death.
Reacting to the incident, Afeez said he received the news with shock and described the death as a painful loss to the student community.
“I received with rude shock the news of the death of Comrade Etimbuk Daniel, the immediate past Students’ Union Government (SUG) President of Akwa Ibom State University, who reportedly passed away at the NYSC orientation camp in Enugu State,” he said.
The NANS president expressed concern over the reported circumstances of Daniel’s death, particularly the allegations surrounding the medication he received and the delay in taking him to the hospital.
He said the incident raised serious questions that must be addressed to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
“These are deeply troubling allegations that require a thorough investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding his tragic death,” Afeez stated.
The student body also highlighted the dangers associated with fake drugs, noting that the reported incident had renewed concerns about the need to protect the lives of young Nigerians.
NANS said it was mourning the loss and would communicate its further actions and official position on the matter in due course.
“As a student community, we are in mourning at this difficult moment. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, colleagues, and the entire Akwa Ibom State University community,” the statement added.
Afeez extended his condolences to Akwa Ibom State, the NANS community and other student leaders and associates affected by Daniel’s death.
“May God grant his family and the entire student community the strength to bear this irreparable loss,” he said.
The death comes amid renewed concerns about the safety of prospective corps members, following the recent abduction of 20 people travelling to NYSC orientation camps in the South-East.
As previously reported, the 20 prospective corps members were abducted on October 1, while travelling from Ibadan, Oyo State, to Bende in Abia State and Uyo in Akwa Ibom State.
The victims were travelling in two buses when gunmen reportedly abducted them at Ogbaku in the Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State, along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway.
The Nigeria Police Force later confirmed that the victims were rescued on October 7 at Amakohia Ubi Village in Imo State following sustained search-and-rescue operations involving other security agencies.
Following their rescue, the police said the prospective corps members were taken for medical assessment and necessary care, while efforts continued to apprehend those responsible for the abduction.
The rescue brought relief to the families of the victims, although some relatives disclosed that they had paid millions of naira in ransom before their loved ones were released.
One mother said she paid N3 million to secure her child’s release, while the father of another victim disclosed that his family raised N6 million for his son’s freedom.
