The management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, has confirmed the death of Miss Isabella Ajana, a 100-level Law student, following a tragic incident stemming from a hostel lockout.
The university has launched an investigation to uncover the full circumstances surrounding her death.
The incident occurred just days after another student, a 300-level Microbiology student named Tochi, slumped and died while playing football.
According to reports, Isabella passed away on Friday, July 4, at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital. She had been admitted there on Monday, June 30, after a medical crisis triggered by the inability to access her essential medication.
Sources at Emalda Hostel, where the student resided, revealed that the ordeal began on Friday, June 27, when Isabella and her roommates were locked out of their room after mistakenly leaving their key inside.
A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, narrated the sequence of events saying, “The unfortunate event began on Friday night, June 27, when the deceased and her roommates were locked out of their room at Emalda Hostel after mistakenly leaving their key inside.
“Immediate efforts were made to reach hostel authorities for access to the spare key, but were unsuccessful.
“It was discovered that the key custodian was out of the state and could not provide access until Monday morning.
“However, by Sunday night, the situation took a dangerous turn. As a Type 1 Diabetes patient, the deceased’s insulin and essential medication were locked in her room. Her condition deteriorated rapidly.
“Though managed overnight, the spare key was finally retrieved by Monday morning, granting access to her medication.
“Unfortunately, efforts to stabilise her condition proved ineffective, even after the insulin was administered.
“She was rushed to the UNIZIK Medical Centre, which, regrettably, was unable to provide necessary care and referred her to the teaching hospital, where she was admitted and placed under treatment.”
While reports indicated Isabella initially showed signs of improvement by Thursday, she sadly passed away the following day.
Her death was not made public until July 8, when her mother informed her close friend.
The development has sparked widespread mourning and anger among students, with many demanding accountability. Some reports, including accounts from Isabella’s roommates, allege that hostel management demanded as much as N40,000 before releasing the spare key, a claim the university has since denied.
Reacting to the incident, the Acting Director of Information and Public Relations/Protocol at UNIZIK, Njelita Louis, issued a statement on Thursday confirming the student’s death and the university’s commitment to uncovering the truth.
“The attention of the management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, has been drawn to the distressing incident involving Miss Isabella Ajana, a 100-level student in the Faculty of Law,” the statement read.
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“It’s pertinent to inform all concerned at this moment and to assure the university community and the public that the university is actively working to get to the root of this unfortunate situation.
“We understand the anxiety and uncertainty this has caused, and our primary concern is the safety and well-being of our students.
“The management acknowledges the issues at hand with deep concern and is leaving no stone unturned in taking immediate steps to address them.”
He added that the university is investigating the operations and welfare conditions of Emalda Hostel, a privately owned facility near the campus.
“Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka is committed to transparency in this investigation and will keep the university community and the public informed and properly updated on the progress and outcome as soon as possible,” the statement continued.
“In the meantime, we urge everyone to remain calm and avoid any actions likely to cause a breach of the peace.
“The university management assures all staff, students, and the general public of the university’s determination to sustain the cordial relations in the university.”