UNIOSUN Students Protest Alleged Assault by Army Recruits, Block Roads

Students of the Osun State University, Osogbo campus, are currently protesting alleged invasion on their hostels by some newly recruited Nigerian Army personnel.Nigeria Current Affairs

They claimed that the soldiers subjected them to harrowing ordeals on Monday night by invading their hostels, assaulted and sexually harassed female students.

Witnesses alleged that some of the recruits harassed young men in the area and demanded money transfers into designated bank accounts.

The situation later escalated when the recruits allegedly stormed about 20 student hostels, including Cristalag and Kings and Queens hostels, where they reportedly unleashed violence on the occupants.

Some female students alleged that they were forced to strip and were sexually assaulted, while male students claimed they were beaten, with several alleging that their mobile phones and other valuables were stolen during the incident.

Reacting to the development, the Vice-Chancellor of UNIOSUN, Professor Clement Adebooye, condemned the incident, describing it as “gory.” He reportedly referred to the perpetrators as “animals” who “should not be living among humans.”

The Nigerian Army had yet to officially respond to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.

On Tuesday morning, students of the Osogbo Main campus of UNIOSUN trooped out in their numbers in protest against the alleged attacks by the soldiers.

Armed with placards bearing different inscriptions such as “Students Community Isn’t War Zone,” “Nigerian Army Personnel Should Stop Harassing Us”, “Our Girls Are Not Safe,” “We Say No To Army Brutality”, among others, the protesting undergraduates condemned the alleged molestation and called on Army authority to rein in on the soldiers.

The students blocked the busy Ibokun road for some minutes before intervention of officers from the Osun State Police Command.

Speaking, the Coordinator of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Zone D, Josiah Adeyemo, called on President Bola Tinubu and the Chief of Army Staff to identify those responsible and ensure they are brought to justice to serve as a deterrent to others.

The Point