A senior lecturer at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Dr Matthew Uwuigbe, has been found dead in a hotel room in Ekpoma, Edo State, with three people arrested in connection with the incident.
Uwuigbe, who was a lecturer in the Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science, reportedly died on Monday, October 5, 2026, at a hotel in the Mosco area of Ekpoma, in Esan West Local Government Area of the state.
The Edo State Police Command said it received a report about the incident at about 8pm on October 5.
According to the police spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, Uwuigbe had lodged at the hotel and engaged the services of a 21-year-old woman identified as Angela Defa Jacob.
Ikoedem said the lecturer later sent Jacob to purchase water for him. When she returned to the room, she reportedly found him lying dead.
The hotel owner, the hotel manager and Jacob were subsequently arrested and taken into custody as police commenced investigation into the circumstances surrounding the lecturer’s death.
Uwuigbe’s remains were deposited at the Oriaifo Memorial Hospital mortuary, according to the police.
The police have not disclosed a cause of death and have not established that the reported encounter with the woman was responsible for his death. The circumstances leading to his death remain under investigation.
The development has also drawn attention within the Ambrose Alli University community, where Uwuigbe was reportedly known by the nickname “King of Boys”.
The university’s Public Relations Officer, Otunba Mike Ade Aladenika, confirmed that Uwuigbe was a member of the institution’s academic staff but stressed that the incident occurred outside the university premises.
He said the circumstances surrounding the lecturer’s private activities were unrelated to the institution and clarified that the woman involved was not an AAU student.
An AAU community platform also described his death as “shocking” in a Facebook post, expressing condolences to his family, colleagues, students and other members of the university community.
Uwuigbe’s death has reportedly left students and alumni mourning the lecturer, with accounts from members of the university community describing him as approachable and popular among students.
However, details circulating online about his personal life, including claims about his family routine, relationships with students and specific circumstances inside the hotel, have not been independently established and are therefore not being presented as confirmed facts.
The police investigation is expected to establish what happened in the hotel room before Uwuigbe was found dead and whether any offence was committed. The three people arrested remain in custody as the investigation continues.
AbdulBasit Saba is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
