In the corridors of Nigeria’s justice system, the file concerning the death of 17-yearold Joshua Èjuojo Daniel-Ejigbo gathers dust—a potent symbol of institutional failure that continues to raise alarming questions about accountability, influence, and the rule of law in Africa’s most populous nation.
On April 30, 2024, Joshua Èjuojo Daniel-Ejigbo, a first-year Computer Science student at Veritas University in Abuja, died under circumstances that remain contested. The university’s official position maintains that Joshua was struck by a falling barbell while exercising unsupervised in the campus gymnasium.
However, this account was immediately challenged by an independent autopsy conducted at the National Hospital Abuja, which documented evidence of “asphyxia due to high cervical spinal cord injury and transection resulting from blunt force trauma to the upper back and neck regions.”
Most disturbingly, the autopsy revealed a broken neck with 360-degree dislocation—injuries that forensic literature typically associates with deliberate violence rather than accidental trauma.
Court records show that two separate lawsuits have been filed by the Ejigbo family — one at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (Suit No: FCT/HC/CV/2869/2024) and another at the Federal High Court (Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1898/2024). Both cases have experienced what can only be described as extraordinary procedural delays.
The first case, filed against Veritas University, Abuja as the sole defendant, seeks ₦7.425 billion in damages for alleged negligence and breach of duty of care. This suit has seen only preliminary hearings in twelve months despite the gravity of the allegations.
The second, more expansive lawsuit names six defendants: The Minister of Education Federal Republic of Nigeria, The Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission, Veritas University Ltd/GTE (Also Known as Veritas University), Archbishop Ignatius A. Kaigama, and Zachariah Samjumi Nyantiso.
This suit includes allegations of fraudulent misrepresentation, breach of statutory duty, and personal liability of the university’s directors.
The pattern of delays observed in both cases — lengthy adjournments has effectively transformed the legal process into a protracted battle with no resolution in sight.
In May 2024, the family’s legal representation submitted a formal petition to the House of Representatives, detailing serious allegations including:
Conflicting accounts of Joshua’s death between the university’s narrative and witness statements,
Evidence of severe trauma inconsistent with an accidental gym injury,
Alleged negligence in the FCT Police Command’s investigation, particularly regarding a suspect identified as Paulinus Ali,
Claims that the university attempted to intimidate the family into silence.
One year later, no formal response or action from the House Committee has been documented.
The Federal High Court lawsuit has brought to light another disturbing dimension of the case. Legal documents reviewed for this article allege that Veritas University was operating without proper authorisation at the time of Joshua’s death.
According to court filings, the provisional license granted to the university in 2007 expired in 2010, while the current legal entity operating as Veritas University was not incorporated until October 4, 2021 (Registration Number 1847242).
These allegations directly implicate the regulatory responsibilities of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Federal Ministry of Education, both named as defendants.
The NUC, tasked with ensuring compliance with educational standards, has declined to comment on these allegations, citing “ongoing legal proceedings”.
The criminal investigation into Joshua’s death has faced equally troubling impediments. Documentation related to the case indicates that despite initial arrests, all detainees hastily charged without proper investigations leading to a trial designed to be terminated on technical grounds. The police have not publicly identified any suspects or persons of interest in the year since the incident.
Particularly concerning are allegations contained in the House petition that FCT Police Command failed to thoroughly investigate the alibi of a prime suspect or retrieve crucial electronic evidence that could have verified his whereabouts at the time of Joshua’s death.
At Gudu Cemetery in Abuja, where Joshua was laid to rest on May 8, 2024, his parents yesterday at his graveside said “We come here to remember, but also to recommit ourselves to finding the truth,” says Honourable Daniel Oneal Ejigbo, Joshua’s father.
“The system is designed to exhaust us into giving up, but they do not understand that for parents, justice for your child is not optional—it is as necessary as breathing.”
Mrs. Ifeoma Ejigbo, Joshua’s mother, speaks of the psychological toll of fighting against institutional inertia: “Each delay, each unanswered question is another trauma. But we cannot and will not stop seeking answers. What happened to our son could happen to any child in Nigeria if we allow this culture of impunity to persist”.
As the Ejigbo family marks the sombre anniversary of their son’s death, their legal team continues to pursue multiple avenues for accountability.
The unresolved death of Joshua Èjuojo Daniel-Ejigbo forces a national reckoning with uncomfortable questions about Nigeria’s justice system. In a constitutional democracy, the uniform application of law regardless of wealth, status, or institutional affiliation is not merely aspirational—it is foundational.
As this case enters its second year without resolution, it stands as a stark reminder of the distance between Nigeria’s constitutional promises and its institutional realities.
For the Ejigbo family, the search for justice continues not only for their son but for the principle that every Nigerian life deserves equal protection under the law.
The question that remains is whether Nigeria’s justice system will rise to meet this fundamental challenge, or whether Joshua Èjuojo Daniel-Ejigbo will join the long list of cases where justice delayed has ultimately meant justice denied.
Hon Daniel Ejigbo writes in from Abuja.
