A member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Etimbuk Daniel, has been confirmed dead while undergoing his compulsory three-week orientation course at the NYSC camp in Enugu State. PREMIUM TIMES learnt that Mr Daniel was the immediate past president of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the Akwa Ibom State University. Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom announced this in a statement by his spokesperson, Ekerete Udo, which was posted on Facebook on Wednesday.
Mr Eno described the death of the former SUG president as a painful and devastating loss, not only to his family but to the entire student community of Akwa Ibom State. “I received with sadness the news of the tragic passing of Comrade Etimbuk Daniel, a promising young leader whose life was cut short while answering the call to serve our nation,” the governor was quoted as saying in the statement.
He condoled with the bereaved family, leadership and members of the National Association of Akwa Ibom State Students, as well as the entire student community of Akwa Ibom extraction across the world over the loss. “Our youths are our future, and losing such a brilliant young man, with a bright future ahead of him, is deeply painful. His passing represents a huge loss to our State and the student community he served with dedication.
“At this difficult moment, I pray that God Almighty grants his family, friends, colleagues and the entire student community the fortitude to bear this painful loss,” the governor stated. He did not specifically mention when the former SUG president died in the NYSC camp.
Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) earlier alleged that fake drugs and delayed medical attention might have contributed to the death of the former students’ leader at the NYSC camp.