The management of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State, has refuted claims that a man found dead in Emure-Ile community of Owo Local Government Area was a student of the institution.
The deceased, identified as Audi Emmanuel, was reportedly discovered hanging in his off-campus residence on Monday, with earlier reports alleging that he was a 20-year-old Computer Engineering student of the state-owned polytechnic.
However, the institution dismissed the claim, stating that the deceased was never enrolled as a student.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the Senior Assistant Registrar, Public Relations and Protocol, Olumide Olugosi, the polytechnic said there was no record of any student bearing the name across its departments.
“The management of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, expresses sympathy over the death of a young man, Audi Emmanuel, in Emure-Ile, who was mistakenly identified in some reports as a student of the institution.
“There is no record of any student with the name Audi Emmanuel in the Department of Computer Engineering Technology or any other department, including the Continuing Education Centre,” the statement read in part.
The institution, however, disclosed that a person with a similar name had previously been offered admission but failed to complete the process.
According to the statement, one Audu Emmanuel was admitted to study Computer Science at the National Diploma level for the 2024/2025 academic session but did not fulfil academic requirements, including participation in examinations, and is therefore not recognised as a bona fide student.
The management stressed that linking the deceased to the institution was inaccurate and could mislead the public.
It also urged members of the public to avoid spreading unverified information, particularly given the discrepancies surrounding the identity and academic status of the deceased, while extending condolences to his family.