A National Youth Service Corps official in Ogun State is in Police custody following the death of a female corps member with whom he allegedly had a romantic relationship, in circumstances that have raised serious questions about the conduct of supervisory personnel within the scheme.
The deceased, Victoria Ariyo, was serving under the Abeokuta South Local Government Area of the NYSC when she died on Tuesday from complications arising from a terminated pregnancy. Her remains were buried at Kobape Cemetery on Kobape Sagamu Road in Abeokuta.
The arrested official, Abass Olalekan, serves as the Local Government Inspector for Abeokuta South. Sources said that he was involved in a romantic relationship with Ariyo, which resulted in a pregnancy, and that complications from the subsequent termination led to her death. "That is the fact in issue," a Police source said.
The same source noted that the development raised questions about the propriety of a romantic relationship between a supervisory official and "someone that should be in your care." Olalekan is currently being held at the Ogun State Police Command headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta.
The death of Ariyo comes barely a month after another female corps member, Adeleye Mary, also serving under Abeokuta South, was found lifeless in her apartment near her Place of Primary Assignment at Ogun State Television. The cause of Mary's death has not been established. Sources confirmed that the two deceased corps members were friends, though police have stated there is no known connection between the two cases.
State Police Spokesperson DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi confirmed that Ariyo's case was under investigation by the State Criminal Investigation Department, but did not address questions about Olalekan's arrest.
