At least two students of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, were arrested on Thursday by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) following a protest against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
The protest occurred during the 2025 edition of the OAU Distinguished Personality Lecture, where Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, was delivering the keynote address.
The arrested students, identified as Kelechi Ejike and Joshua Temitope Oladepo, had staged a peaceful demonstration demanding compensation for residents whose homes were allegedly demolished by the FCT Administration under Wike’s leadership.
In videos circulated online, the students were seen holding placards and chanting: “Minister Wike, we demand you compensate the people whose houses you demolished.” The protest momentarily disrupted the event before security operatives intervened.
Eyewitnesses reported that DSS officials forcefully removed the students from the venue and subsequently took them into custody.
The event, held in Ile-Ife, the capital of Osun State, was attended by several high-profile dignitaries, including the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; former Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; and former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom.
