A senior lecturer at Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Dr. Matthew Uwuigbe, has died in a hotel in Ekpoma, Edo State, with the state police command investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.
Uwuigbe, a lecturer in the Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, reportedly died on October 5, 2026, at a hotel in the Mosco area of Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area.
According to the Edo State Police Command, the lecturer had lodged at the hotel and was reportedly accompanied by a 21-year-old woman. Police said the woman later left the room after Uwuigbe asked her to purchase water.
When she returned, she reportedly found the lecturer lying lifeless in the room and raised an alarm, prompting a report to the police.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Edo State, ASP Eno Ikoedem, confirmed the incident and said three people had been arrested in connection with the case.
Those detained include the hotel owner, the hotel manager and the 21-year-old woman who was reportedly with the lecturer before his death. Police said the arrests were made as part of efforts to establish what happened before Uwuigbe was found dead.
The lecturer's remains have been deposited at the Oriaifo Memorial Hospital mortuary, while investigations continue.
Authorities have not announced a definitive cause of death, and there has been no official finding that the reported encounter caused his death. The circumstances surrounding his final moments remain under investigation.
The development has also drawn attention within the university community. AAU confirmed that Uwuigbe was a member of its academic staff but stressed that the incident occurred outside the university environment.
The institution also clarified that the woman reportedly involved in the incident was not a student of Ambrose Alli University. The university described the circumstances surrounding the lecturer's death as a private matter unrelated to its official activities.
As the police investigation continues, authorities are expected to establish the events leading to the lecturer's death and determine whether any offence was committed.
For now, the circumstances remain under investigation, and claims about the exact cause of death should be treated with caution until an official determination is made.