A 30-year-old private school teacher, Nathaniel Baiyegun, has been arrested by the Ogun State Police Command for the alleged murder of his former student, 16-year-old Florence, a West African Senior School Certificate Examination candidate preparing for her final exams.
According to a police source, the suspect lured the teenager to the scene of her death under the guise of attending an academic coaching class. Baiyegun, who once taught at a private school in Ogijo, had reportedly reconnected with Florence about a year after she left the school. Police said he attempted to force her into a relationship with his friend identified only as Sola.
Investigations revealed that the suspect kidnapped the teenager and kept her in an uncompleted building in Ogijo. He allegedly administered an overdose of D5 sleeping tablets on her. The police source stated that the killing was initially claimed to be accidental, but preliminary investigations pointed to premeditation and other criminal activities.
After believing Florence had died, Baiyegun dumped her body in a river in Ogijo to conceal the crime. The matter took a darker turn when he demanded a ransom of ₦500,000 from the victim’s father, claiming she was still alive. In a confessional statement obtained by Saturday PUNCH, Baiyegun admitted to killing the girl and confessed that he already spent the ransom money on online sports betting.
Police further disclosed that the suspect was involved in internet fraud and had at one time requested nude photographs from the deceased. Florence reportedly sent the images to him through her mobile phone before her death.
In his statement, Baiyegun said he was very close to Florence but denied having an amorous relationship with her. He explained that she was not one of his direct students because she was in the humanities, while he taught Physics and Further Mathematics to science students. “I am a teacher at a private school in Ogijo, and she was one of the students in my former school,” he stated.
The case has sparked outrage across Ogun State, with residents and parents demanding swift justice and stricter vetting processes for private school teachers. Many expressed shock that someone entrusted with educating young people could commit such a heinous act.
The police confirmed that the suspect remains in custody as investigations continue into the full circumstances surrounding the killing. Authorities say the case will be charged to court once investigations are concluded.
This incident has reignited concerns about student safety and the exploitation of minors by trusted figures in the education sector, especially as WASSCE season puts students at risk of manipulations.
Source: Punch
