UI medical student dies after ingesting insecticide -

A 300-level medical student at the University of Ibadan has died after reportedly ingesting an insecticide.

The student, whose identity was withheld, was said to have taken the substance on Sunday night. He was later found on the ground floor of Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall by a fellow student, who noticed he was foaming at the mouth and appeared disoriented. According to reports, he admitted to consuming an insecticide known as Sniper before losing consciousness.

His roommates alerted hall authorities, who arranged for him to be taken to Jaja Clinic through the Students’ Union bus service. After receiving oxygen and intravenous fluids, he was transferred to the emergency unit of the University College Hospital (UCH), where he was placed on life support. He later died.

The Public Relations Officer of UCH, Funmi Adetuyibi, confirmed the incident, stating that the hospital responded promptly after receiving reports that the student had ingested the substance, but he did not survive.

The student’s parents, who live in Akure, Ondo State, were informed and arrived at the hospital before his death. While they reportedly raised concerns about possible poisoning, his roommates maintained that he had acknowledged ingesting the insecticide. They also noted that he had recently become withdrawn, attended classes less frequently, and avoided calls from his parents.

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The incident has sparked renewed concerns from the advocacy group Suicide Is No Solution Initiative over the growing trend of suicide-themed skits on social media. The group warned that such content may be insensitive to individuals experiencing emotional distress and could undermine efforts aimed at discouraging self-harm.

The warning follows a recent online dispute involving content creator King Mitchy and influencer VeryDarkMan, who featured in separate skits in which they appeared to consume a substance described as bleach.

In a statement, the group’s Project Coordinator, Toye Arulogun, described suicide as a serious public health issue that should not be trivialised for online entertainment, adding that recent content trends risk weakening ongoing suicide prevention campaigns.