Christianah Idowu, a 21-year-old student from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), was tragically murdered by her abductor, Ayomide Adeleye, a 200-level student at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU).
Christiana was declared missing on August 19, 2024, by her parents. She was allegedly said to have been kidnapped while traveling from her home in the Itaoluwo area of Ikorodu to the University of Lagos (Unilag), where she was undertaking industrial training. The abductors initially demanded a ransom of N3 million for her release. After negotiations, the family paid N350,000, but despite fulfilling this demand, the abductors ceased communication with the family on August 23.
Intelligence operatives eventually traced the ransom payment to a betting account linked to Ayomide Adeleye. By August 29, the operatives had confirmed that the account used for the ransom withdrawal belonged to Adeleye. They tracked his cell phone activities and financial transactions. They were led to his location in Ikorodu, where further investigation revealed that he had a mutual relationship with Christiana, including interactions on social media.
Adeleye was apprehended and, upon interrogation, confessed to killing Christiana. Her body was discovered buried in a shallow grave at his parents’ residence in Ikorodu.
The murder of Christiana Idowu has sparked widespread outrage and calls for justice throughout Nigeria. Social media has been abuzz with discussions about the incident, and the hashtag #JusticeForChristianah has trended due to the public’s demand for accountability.
Ibrahim Adeyemi, the Student Union Government President of FUNAAB, confirmed the news and mentioned, “The Union can confirm that her abductor reportedly killed her. We will be addressing the matter soon.”
Adeleye has also been alleged to be involved in multiple other killings involving his ex-girlfriend in 2018 and his sister in 2020; both of which were killed similarly.
As the investigation continues, the focus remains on ensuring that the perpetrator is prosecuted and that justice is served for Christiana and her grieving family.
