When Faith Alayande, a 23-year-old student at the Nigerian law school, transferred from the Enugu campus to Lagos, no one envisaged the tragedy that would follow the move. Alayande was staying at the Lagos campus for her externship when she took her own life.
On Friday, August 7, the body of Alayande was found in the premises of the law school hotel at Victoria Island, Lagos. She was motionless and unresponsive. She had jumped from the rooftop of the four-storey hostel building, plunging to her death, in what was ostensibly a suicide.
Before she took her life at about 4 a.m, she had penned a suicide note which was later found by another student and a relative, prompting a frantic search for her. By the time she was found, she had jumped off the hostel building and taken her life. The content of the note has not been divulged by those privy to it.
The incident was subsequently reported to the police by the Chief Matron of the Law School, Mrs Igbokwe Juliana, at about 6:30 a.m. Preliminary observations indicated that the deceased may have jumped from the rooftop of the four-storey hostel building.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, who confirmed the incident, disclosed that the matron of the institution reported the matter. According to her, before they could locate her, she had allegedly jumped from the rooftop of the four-storey hostel building.
She said, “I can confirm the incident. The deceased reportedly wrote a suicide note and, before her hostel mate and a relative could locate her, she jumped from the rooftop of a four-storey building.
“The matron of the hostel reported the incident, prompting police operatives to visit the scene. Her body has been evacuated to a morgue for preservation.”
On Monday, the Nigerian Law School officially confirmed the death of Alayande. In a statement signed by its Secretary to the Council and Director of Administration, Aderonke O. Osho, the institution disclosed that the incident occurred at about 4 am on Friday, August 7, 2026.
“Preliminary information indicates that, at about 4:00 am on Friday, 7 August 2026, the student fell from the rooftop of the hostel at the campus and, sadly, succumbed to the incident,” the statement read.
It said the institution was working with relevant authorities and the deceased’s family to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Law School expressed sadness over the death and extended its condolences to the deceased’s family, colleagues and others affected by the loss. It also appealed to members of the public and the media to respect the family’s request for privacy as they mourn.
“The Management of the Nigerian Law School respectfully appeals to everyone to honour the family’s wishes and refrain from any actions that may further compound their grief at this difficult moment,” the statement said.
However, this is not the first time a student of the Nigerian Law School is taking their own life.
Last December, a student of the institution, Ayomiposi Ojajuni, took his own life after he was reportedly barred from writing the Bar Final examinations at the Yola campus in Adamawa State.
Ojajuni, a graduate of Olabisi Onabanjo University, was said to have received a series of queries from the school authorities and later discovered that he would not be allowed to sit for the professional examinations.
