Police have identified a student who was fatally stabbed near a university campus in Leicester, the United Kingdom, as Khaleed Oladipo, a 20-year-old Nigerian-descent undergraduate of De Montfort University (DMU).

Leicestershire Police said Oladipo died in hospital on Tuesday evening after he was stabbed on Oxford Street. An 18-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody while investigations continue. A post-mortem examination showed that Oladipo died from a stab wound to the chest.

In a tribute, Oladipo’s family described him as “a good boy who loved his family,” adding: “We cannot begin to put into words how sad we are to have lost Khaleed.”

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The family thanked members of the public who tried to help him at the scene, as well as ambulance and hospital staff “who did all they could to try and save him.” They also expressed gratitude to the police, saying, “We are also really grateful to the police for their efforts in the investigation so far to ensure the person responsible is brought to justice. We are struggling to understand why anyone would do this.”

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Oladipo, who was from London, was in his second year studying cyber-security at DMU. His family said he was an Arsenal supporter and had a strong passion for football. “We believe he was on his way home to watch the game later that night when he was stabbed and killed,” they said, adding that while justice would not bring him back, “we will make sure that he gets the justice he deserves.”

Police said officers were called shortly after 17:00 GMT on Tuesday to reports of a man collapsing near the junction of Oxford Street and Bonners Lane. Several nearby roads were closed following the incident.

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Katie Normington, DMU vice-chancellor, said she was “devastated” by Oladipo’s death and confirmed that support was being offered to students, staff and his family. “Our thoughts are with everyone who is affected by what has happened,” she said.

Taofeek Oyedokun is a correspondent at BusinessDay with years of experience reporting on political economy, public policy, migration, environment/climate change, and social justice. A graduate of Political Science from the University of Lagos, he has also earned multiple professional certificates in journalism and media-related training. Known for his clear, data-driven reporting, Oyedokun covers a wide range of national and international socioeconomic issues, bringing depth, balance, and public-interest focus to his work.

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