The Taraba State University community has been thrown into mourning following the deaths of a 100-level Mass Communication student, Comfort Jimtop Oliver, and her boyfriend, Emmanuel Kefas, in what police have described as a “suspicious and tragic” sequence of events.

Oliver, who hailed from Takum Local Government Area, was discovered lifeless on Friday, September 12, 2025, in a residence located in the Bakasi area of Jalingo. The house is alleged to have belonged to Kefas, who was immediately identified as a person of interest in the case.

Barely 24 hours later, on Saturday, September 13, Kefas himself was found dead in Tudiri, Ardo-Kola Local Government Area. Confirming the discovery, Taraba State Police Command spokesperson, DSP James Lashen, said a Tecno Android phone recovered at the scene provided critical evidence, including photographs linking Kefas and Oliver in a romantic relationship.

Both bodies have since been deposited at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jalingo, where post-mortem examinations have been ordered to establish the precise causes of death. Authorities have yet to determine whether Kefas’s demise was suicide, homicide, or the result of an accident.

“The investigation is ongoing, and we cannot make definitive conclusions at this stage,” Lashen stated, while appealing to members of the public with relevant information to assist law enforcement.

The tragedy has sparked outrage and grief across the university community, with students, staff, and civil society groups demanding a transparent inquiry. University management has not issued an official statement but sources confirmed the institution is cooperating fully with the police.

Community leaders and rights advocates have called on the authorities to expedite forensic tests and ensure timely updates to the public and families concerned.

As Taraba mourns the loss of two young lives, the spotlight remains firmly on investigators to unravel the circumstances of this deeply unsettling case.