Dowen College murder: why the silence?

Sometime last year, the internet was awash with the story of a teenager who was murdered in Dowen College Lekki, Lagos State.

It was alleged that the boy was coerced to join a cult group which he rejected. The name of the cult group was not mentioned in the story but autopsy carried out on the boy as reported by the parents was indicting.

One of the reports suggested that the boy was given a black substance to drink and was tortured to the point that he could not walk as at the time the parents took him up in school for proper medical attention.

Management of Dowen College Lekki, were quick to respond on the alleged murder case. The school has well trained security outfit on guard, so the principal queried how such heinous crime could be committed under their watch.

“The boy was playing football with his friends and got injured in the process”, the management retorted.

Internet users welcomed all stories (true or false), though they must be shared no matter the status.

5 people were arrested. Some of the culprits were flown abroad by the parents who are millionaires and billionaires living in Lekki and beyond.

Social media users called on the government to take proactive action to seek the repatriation of those involved so that they could answer questions.

Late Sylvester Oromoni with his parent. Image source: Punch Newspaper

In a swift response, the Lagos State government closed down the school and seem to seek a positive outcome in the case.

It was later gathered that those behind the case were as powerful as the government itself. And so, the government had to await the police report while the investigators waited orders from the force hierarchy.

Unfortunately, the force hierarchy was also waiting foe orders from the culprits’ parents, internet users alleged. And so, the wait continued.

Few months later, searches about ‘Dowen College, Lekki’ showed that autopsy carried out on the boy indicated the boy was not murdered. The wait seemed to be over at last.

But then the public seemed not satisfied with the results and the report. Dowen College management were quick to call in influencers and the reports in the school favour was flagged green before the public in a jiffy.

The government having been ‘satisfied’ with the report was said to have issued a statement that there was no murder case against the students and management of Dowen College, Lekki.

Going by the way the event turned, the parents of the victim vowed to pursue the case to a logical conclusion.

The school was reopened by the Lagos State Government. All former reputation accorded the college were restored at least in the media.

However, below is the police report that Indicted Dowen College Lekki, Buruji Kashamu’s son, other students over Sylvester Oromoni’s death as reported by Sahara reporters. The report reads:

“The Nigeria Police Force has indicted Michael Kashamu, one of the sons of late politician, Senator Buruji Kashamu, over the death of Sylvester Oromoni, a pupil of Dowen College, Lagos, who died under mysterious circumstances in 2021.”

Other students indicted in the case are Kenneth Inyang, Favour Benjamin, Ansel Temile and Edward Begue.

The report signed by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Fayoade Adegoke, of the Lagos State Police Criminal Investigation Department, also accused Dowen College management, three staff members— Valentine Igbokwe Eze, Ahmed Bariyu and Adesanya Olusesan of negligence.

“That the prime suspects are one Micheal Kashamu ‘m’ 15 years, Kenneth Inyang ‘m’ 15 years, Favour Benjamin ‘m’ 16 years, Ansel Temile ‘m’ 14 years, Edward Begue ‘m’ 16 years, Valentine Igbokwe Eze ‘m’ 45 years, Ahmed Bariyu ‘m’ 52 years and Adesanya Olusesan ‘m’ 42 years.

“That sometimes in the past, before the death of the deceased, Sylvester Oronomi (jnr) ‘m’, there was an incident whereby Favour Benjamin ‘m’ beat the deceased for disclosing to his sister, Amanda Oromoni ‘f’ how he was forced to describe his sister’s private part. The incident was not given attention by the school authority.

“That Torilla Wilson ‘m’ stated that Favour Benjamin ‘m’, Micheal Kashamu ‘m’ and Ansel Temile ‘m’ took the deceased to the third floor to prevent students on the second floor from witnessing how the deceased was being bullied and beaten. However, there is no concrete evidence to back up the claim.

“In addition, from the records, one of the suspects, Edward, was issued a letter of working suspension by the school authority dated 23/05/2019 for inappropriate behaviuor, to clean his classroom on May 23, 2021 for eating popcorn while a teacher was in class and eventually spat some on the teacher.

“That equally, another suspect, Kasamu Micheal, was issued a letter of suspension by the school authority, dated March 5, 2019 from school between for bullying and physically assaulting a fellow student, one Okeke, who has since left the school.”

The police report further revealed how the suspects and other students constituted themselves into a clique that bullied and intimidated fellow students in the school.

“It is evidently clear that some group of students constituted themselves into a clique that bullies and intimidates fellow students in the school. A glaring example is Michael Kashamu ‘m’ and ‘Edward Bague ‘m’, who were earlier reprimanded for bullying other students.

“The three house masters, Valentine Igbokwe Eze ‘m’ 45 years, Ahmed Bariyu ‘m’ 52 years and Adesanya Olusesan ‘m’ 42 years failed to take decisive action when cases of inappropriate behaviour were reported to them.”

Now 7 months down the line, what is the current situation of the Dowen College murder case? Has the family given fair justice for their son who was murdered according to initial reports?

What is the final police report on this case? What is the final autopsy report? I and my readers will like to know. Please inform us in the comment section if you have any updates.