Missing Nigerian Student Found Safe After Academic Struggles

A worried family's search for their missing son ended with relief this week when police in Nigeria located the 21-year-old student alive and well in Osogbo, Osun State.

Damilola Praise, a student at Ekiti State University, disappeared from contact after traveling from Lagos to Ado-Ekiti on January 5. He had called his parents to confirm his safe arrival, but then his phone went silent for nearly two weeks.

Concerned family and friends reported him missing, prompting the Ekiti Police Command to launch an investigation. Officers from the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department worked steadily to trace his whereabouts across state lines.

When police found Damilola in Osogbo, they discovered something unexpected. He hadn't been kidnapped or harmed at all.

The young man told investigators he felt overwhelmed by his academic performance and couldn't face returning to university. Rather than talking to his parents about his struggles, he made the difficult choice to disconnect completely and look for work instead.

Damilola had already found employment with a security company in Osogbo when police located him. He explained that he wanted to take time away from school to work a regular job, feeling unable to cope with his coursework.

Why This Inspires

This story highlights an important conversation happening worldwide about academic pressure and mental health among young people. While his family experienced tremendous worry, Damilola's case ended safely and opens the door for healing.

Police Commissioner Joseph Eribo used the incident to remind the public about responsible social media use. Unverified reports of the missing student had spread online, causing unnecessary panic before the facts were known.

Now reunited with authorities and presumably his family, Damilola has a chance to address his academic concerns with support rather than silence.