UI Fees Hike: SecurForces Arrest 4 Protesters

Security personnel have arrested and detained four individuals for protesting against the fees hike by the management of the University of Ibadan (UI).

It was gathered that the detained protesters, identified as Aduwo Ayodele, Made Gbadegesin, Olorunfemi Adeyeye, and Nice Linus, were bundled into an Army van during yesterday’s demonstration.

Adeyeye, who is the national secretary of the African Action Congress (AAC), managed to record a distressing video while inside the van. In it, a man in military uniform was clinging to the vehicle as it speeds towards the Agodi area of Ibadan

In a distress message sent to LEADERSHIP, Adeyeye said, “UI security officers swooped on us as I joined the students to raise placards. They dragged us, beat us and then called soldiers from Operation Burst.”

A student who spoke on condition  of anonymity for fear of victimisation, disclosed that the arrests occurred concurrently with the swearing-in ceremony for the new students’ union executives, with protesters voicing their dissent against the fees hike.

Efforts to reach the Nigerian Army spokesperson, Brig. General Onyema Nwachukwu and the UI dean of students affairs, Prof. Adekeye Abiona, were futile at press time.

While condemning and demanding the protesters’ release, human rights group, the Take It Back Movement, in a post on X, said, “Here is @activistfemi being moved to an unknown location by @HQNigerianArmy officers.

“He was arrested by an ‘Operation Burst’ team during an ongoing protest around the University of Ibadan. We condemn this as despicable and demand his immediate release.”