Kogi Poly final-year student dies in failed abortion at private clinic
By Oluwatoyin Hawal Momolosho –
A 26-year-old final-year student of Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, has died after a failed attempt to terminate a six-month pregnancy at a private clinic. The incident has left her colleagues in shock and reignited debate on unsafe abortion practices in Nigeria.
The deceased, identified as Omotosho Dorcas, reportedly visited Al-Hassan Clinic and Maternity, Sarkin Noma, Lokoja, on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, for the procedure. According to reports, she began to bleed heavily during the operation and could not be revived despite frantic efforts by medical staff.
Dorcas, described by classmates as quiet and determined while preparing for her final examinations, had allegedly kept the pregnancy secret until the fatal attempt to end it.
Security operatives have since arrested the medical practitioner suspected to have performed the operation. Police said the suspect will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further interrogation and possible prosecution.
Her death has drawn attention to the broader dangers of unsafe abortions in Nigeria, where restrictive laws often push women, particularly students, to seek help from unregulated facilities. Health experts warn that many such cases remain unreported.
“This tragic case is a reminder that unsafe abortions continue to claim young lives. The country urgently needs stronger reproductive health education and safe medical alternatives to prevent avoidable deaths,” a public health advocate said.
Dorcas’ death mirrors past tragedies, including the 2020 case of Gift Imoluamen, a 300-level student of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, who died after an abortion linked to her alleged pregnancy for a clergyman.
As investigations continue, Dorcas’ family, friends, and classmates are left mourning her untimely death, while the case renews calls for reforms in reproductive healthcare and tighter regulation of private medical facilities nationwide.
