[BREAKING] Anti-Wike’s Protest: Arrested OAU Students Regain Freedom

Two students of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, who were apprehended during a protest against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, have regained their freedom amid sustained pressure from student activists and civil society groups.

The students—Oladepo Joshua and Kelechi Ejike—had disrupted an event at the university’s Oduduwa Hall on Thursday, where Wike was delivering a lecture titled ‘Nigeria of Our Dreams’ as a guest speaker at the institution’s 2025 Distinguished Personality Lecture.

Eyewitnesses said the students brandished placards demanding justice for Abuja residents whose properties were demolished under Wike’s directive as FCT Minister. The demonstration, albeit peaceful, was swiftly interrupted by security operatives, including personnel believed to be from the Department of State Services (DSS).

A video of the incident, seen by OSUN DEFENDER, showed the students being forcefully escorted out while the event was ongoing. They were reportedly taken to the university’s internal security base known as ‘Floor 0’ amid visible tension.

While outrage trailed the action across student platforms nationwide, the university management insisted that no arrest occurred.

The institution’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, claimed the students were “rescued” to prevent them from being lynched by their colleagues.

“Some students had begun confronting them. Our security personnel intervened to avoid violence. They were not arrested but escorted out for their safety,” Olarewaju said.

However, the explanation has failed to douse growing anger from student activists and rights groups. The Alliance of Nigerian Students Against Neoliberal Attacks (ANSA) and the Education Rights Campaign (ERC), in separate statements, condemned the treatment of the students, accusing both the university and security agencies of clamping down on dissent.

“This is nothing but state-backed repression,” said Ikechukwu John, ANSA’s Deputy National Coordinator. “Our comrades were unjustly targeted for exercising their democratic right to protest.”

Also reacting, Adaramoye Michael of the ERC described the act as “a reflection of growing despotism in higher institutions.”

Meanwhile, the Director of Media for the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Osun State Axis, Anuoluwapo Bliss A., confirmed the release of the students in a statement on Thursday evening.

According to Bliss, the release is “a testament to collective resistance” but insisted that the struggle is far from over.
“We remain clear: Wike’s presence on any campus is a show of shame, not leadership. The repression of student voices is unacceptable,” he said.

He also called on the OAU management to reflect on what he described as its “growing complicity in silencing truth”.