A senior lecturer at Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Edo State, Dr Matthew Uwuigbe, has died in a hotel in the town, prompting a police investigation and the arrest of three people.

The incident occurred at a hotel in the Mosco area of Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area, on October 5, 2026.

According to the Edo State Police Command, Uwuigbe had lodged at the hotel and was reportedly in the company of a 21-year-old woman before he was later found unresponsive inside the room.

Police spokesperson ASP Eno Ikoedem confirmed that the woman, along with the hotel owner and manager, had been taken into custody as investigators work to establish what happened.

Ikoedem said the woman had reportedly left the room to purchase water at Uwuigbe’s request. When she returned, she allegedly found him lying motionless in the room.

The matter was subsequently reported to the police at about 8pm, leading to the commencement of an investigation.

Uwuigbe was identified as a staff member of Ambrose Alli University, with reports identifying him as a lecturer in the institution’s Faculty of Medical Laboratory Science.

The university has also confirmed his employment but stressed that the incident occurred outside the institution’s premises and was not connected to university activities. The university’s Public Relations Officer, Otunba Mike Ade Aladenika, also clarified that the woman involved was not a student of the institution.

The police have not publicly established the cause of Uwuigbe’s death, and there has been no official finding that any of the three people in custody caused his death.

His remains have been deposited at the Oriaifo Memorial Hospital mortuary while investigations continue.

The case has attracted attention in Ekpoma because of the circumstances in which the lecturer was found dead, but investigators are expected to determine what happened before any conclusions can be drawn.

The arrest of the three individuals is therefore being treated as part of the ongoing investigation and should not, on its own, be interpreted as proof of wrongdoing.

Police inquiries are expected to establish the circumstances surrounding Uwuigbe’s death and determine whether any criminal offence was committed.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia