By Olamide FAKEYE
Nigeria – The management of Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun state has reacted to alleged missing applicant, Miss Ibukun Victoria Odebode who participated in the screening exercise for applicants into the HND programmes of the institution on Thursday, 7th November, 2024.
According to the institution’s Deputy Registrar, Public Relations and Protocol, Sola Abiala, the applicant, who has reportedly been found and taken home by her parents remains applicant, until he or she is offered admission, hence the tagging of the affected candidate as a student of the Polytechnic is not only erroneous, but equally misleading.
He said, “It should be noted that an applicant remains so, until he or she is offered admission, hence the tagging of the affected candidate as a student of the Polytechnic is not only erroneous, but equally misleading.
“It should be emphasised, especially to our journalist colleagues, that adhering strictly to the ABOCC (ie Accuracy, Balance, Objectivity, Conciseness and Currency) principle is essential to news reportage.
“It is expected that every side of a prospective news item is explored before going to press to ensure fairness in reportage.
“The institution does not and will not take kindly to future defamation of character, by any news medium, either online or traditional, as a result of unverified facts regarding the Polytechnic.
“Furthermore, the Polytechnic has reliably gathered that the alleged missing applicant was not missing afterall, but went-a – visiting to his boy friend in town, after the screening exercise, where she claimed her phone went flat, hence she couldn’t reach out to her parents regarding her whereabouts thereby creating panic and anxiety to her parents.
“Let it be noted that any further enquiries, regarding Miss Odebode should be directed to the phone number of her brother on the above picture”.
