Favour Ugwuka, a final-year student of Ebonyi State University in Abakaliki (EBSU), has committed suicide after she was said to have repeatedly failed a course.

On Wednesday night, Ugwuka allegedly committed herself in her dorm on the Ishieke campus.

The student at the Department of English was said to have completed every course, although she failed one topic multiple times due to the course lecturer’s alleged threats.

A mother criticised the school administration in a now-viral video, saying her daughter was irritated with one of their instructors.

In addition, a voicemail allegedly belonging to the dead that expressed her annoyance with the lecturer was included with the video.

“The lecturer said he is the best, that nobody can teach like him. He should come and carry my daughter who has committed suicide,” the woman said.

Josh Ukandu, the Ebonyi state police spokesperson, confirmed the student’s demise to TheCable Lifestyle on Friday.

“I do not know the details of what led to whatever. As of now, it is just a reported suicide case. We cannot even say conclusively what it is. We just got the report that the student committed suicide,” he said.

“What I am saying is, we got a report of a suicide. So I cannot say the reasons behind it. I cannot even say whether it is a suicide or not. As you said, a lot of things are flying online with regard to the issue. The report was that somebody committed suicide, a girl and a student of Ebonyi State University.”

The PRO said if the family of the deceased “suspects something,” they should report it to the police for investigation.

“I cannot confirm that. The report came as a suicide and of course, if the report comes as a suicide there is nothing to investigate. So, now it behooves the family of the person who committed suicide, maybe say that ‘we are suspecting something’ which will now lead to the investigation. Probably they have come now, but the report I only saw was the suicide,” he added.

“I do not have any interface with the people that gave the report. Whether anybody has come to now say they think it is not suicide but something else.”

• Receives reinstatement letter, turbaned

Muhammadu Sanusi has been turbaned as the new Emir of Kano for the second time.

The ceremony took place on Friday at the Kano state government house.

More to come…

The pilot phase of Nigeria’s student loan scheme has gone live with federal tertiary institutions as beneficiaries.

Recall Nigeria’s President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, enacted an initial version of the student loan policy in June 2023 to grant interest-free loans to students.

The plan was supposed to go into effect in October 2023, however execution was continuously postponed until it was reenacted in April 2024.

May 24 is the day that NELFUND has set aside for the launch of the loan application and issuing portal.

Only federal tertiary institutions would be eligible for the scheme’s pilot phase, according to NELFUND during pre-application sensitization.

On May 24, the programme went online at 0:00, and the fund encouraged federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges students to apply.

Earlier, NELFUND confirmed that loans to state-owned institutions will be provided as part of the scheme’s second rollout, which will be notified when it is due.

In an FAQ published via its social media page, NEFUND said only students of public tertiary institutions are eligible to apply for the loan.

It said they must submit proof of admission capturing their name, birth date, JAMB number, matriculation number, and BVN.

The fund said all new and existing students within the institutions can enter for the loan, conditionally including direct entry candidates.

It said how much loan every student is allowed to apply for would be determined by the charges of their respective institution.

“The charges will be remitted directly to the institutions and the upkeep will be paid to the applicant on a monthly instalment,” it said.

“Applicants will receive a notification and the status of the loan application can be seen in the applicant’s profile on the portal.”

NELFUND said a beneficiary must begin repayment two years after their youth service as long as they have a job or are self-employed.

It said a beneficiary should notify NELFUND by court affidavit every three months after this due date if still unable to gain employment.

“Ten percent of a beneficiary’s salary will be deducted at source. Self-employed beneficiaries are to remit 10% of monthly profits,” it said.

“You are at liberty to seek to repay beyond the statutory 10% monthly repayment by your employers/by self if you are self-employed.

The fund said an applicant would be denied a loan if proven to have defaulted on any previous loan granted by any licensed financial institution if found guilty of submitting fake documents, and if dismissed for exam malpractices by any school authority.

It said they may be disqualified if convicted of fraud, forgery, drug offences, cultism, felony, and any offence involving dishonesty.