Five soldiers have been arrested by military authorities following an alleged violent invasion of students’ hostels at Osun State University (UNIOSUN).
The Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Professor Odunayo Clement Adebooye, disclosed this development while addressing a crowd of protesting students on campus.
He confirmed that the military high command responded swiftly to the incident, sending representatives to the campus and apprehending the personnel accused of orchestrating the raid.
During his address, Professor Adebooye outlined a harrowing list of grievances against the detained soldiers, accusing them of assaulting students and plundering their residences.
He alleged that the rogue personnel raped some students, forcefully seized mobile phones after removing the SIM cards, and stole cash and power banks.
Furthermore, the invaders reportedly vandalized hostel infrastructure, breaking numerous doors and windows during the operation.
The Vice-Chancellor strongly condemned the actions of the soldiers, characterizing the raid as a severe betrayal of public trust. “The people we have recruited to protect us have turned around to become our enemy,” Adebooye stated, adding that it is unacceptable for security personnel to become the very threat citizens fear.
He revealed that he had personally visited roughly a dozen of the affected hostels, noting that the sheer extent of the destruction and the trauma experienced by the students moved him to tears during his subsequent discussions with the military commander.
In a bid to prevent future occurrences, Professor Adebooye appealed to the military hierarchy to restrict newly graduated recruits to their barracks and ensure they are kept away from the university environment.
He reassured the student body that the institution would only seek military assistance through official, appropriate commands when strictly necessary.
Concluding his address, the Vice-Chancellor acknowledged the profound emotional and psychological impact the assault has had on the university community.
He firmly assured the protesting students that the UNIOSUN management, in collaboration with the Osun State Government, remains fully committed to pursuing justice and ensuring that those responsible are held entirely accountable for the alleged abuses.
