The authorities of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, have denied reports that two students were arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, following a protest that interrupted a public lecture delivered by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The minister was on the university campus on Thursday to deliver a lecture titled Nigeria of Our Dreams at the Oduduwa Hall. The event was attended by students, members of staff, and invited dignitaries.
During the lecture, two students, identified as Oladepo Joshua and Ejike Kelechi, reportedly stood up with placards demanding compensation for victims of demolition exercises carried out in the Federal Capital Territory. The protest briefly disrupted the event before security personnel moved in.
A video circulating on social media shows the students being forcefully removed from the hall by security operatives, sparking concerns over their whereabouts.
Witnesses at the venue claimed the students were initially taken to the university’s internal security unit, known as Floor 0, located within the Senate Building. However, there were conflicting reports suggesting that DSS personnel attempted to detain the students but were prevented by the university’s security unit.
One student who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “We saw them being taken away by both DSS operatives and the school’s security. Since then, no one knows exactly where they are.”
As of the time of this report, the status and location of the two students remain unknown.
Reacting to the development, the university’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Abiodun Olarewaju, dismissed claims that any arrest took place. He explained that the students were only escorted out of the hall to prevent the situation from escalating.
“They were rescued from being beaten by their fellow students,” Olarewaju said. “The protest interrupted a university-approved lecture attended by a large number of people, and they were taken out to restore order.”
The incident has drawn criticism from several rights groups and student bodies. The Alliance of Nigerian Students Against Neoliberal Attacks, ANSA, described the treatment of the students as an act of repression and demanded their immediate and unconditional release.
In a statement signed by its Deputy National Coordinator, Ikechukwu John, the group said, “This is an attack on democratic rights. All lovers of justice must rise to condemn this action.”
The Education Rights Campaign, ERC, also expressed concern, warning that the incident reflected a growing climate of intolerance within Nigerian universities.
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Great Ife Students’ Union said it was still gathering facts and had not received an official report on the incident.
“We are following developments closely, but no formal account has been submitted to us yet,” a representative said.
The event has sparked renewed debate on student rights and the presence of state security agencies on university campuses.
