Two students of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife in Osun State have been arrested 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 was held on Thursday, during the 2025 OAU Distinguished Personality Lecture.
The arrested students, identified as Kelechi Ejike and Joshua Temitope Oladepo, had publicly demanded compensation for residents whose houses were allegedly demolished by the FCT Administration under Wike’s leadership.
The students were seen in videos obtained by newsmen on Thursday, raising placards and chanting: “Minister Wike, we demand you compensate the people whose houses you demolished.”
The demonstration briefly disrupted proceedings at the venue, where Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, delivered the keynote address.
The event, which took place in Ile-Ife, the capital of Osun State, also had in attendance the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; former Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; and Benue State former governor, Samuel Ortom.
DSS officials were seen forcefully removing the protesting students, who were later taken into custody.
This development has sparked concerns among rights groups and student activists, who have condemned the arrests as an infringement on freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
Wike, who served as governor of oil-rich Rivers State from 2015 to 2023, was appointed FCT Minister in August 2023 by President Bola Tinubu.
His urban renewal drive in Abuja has involved widespread demolitions, which he insists are necessary to restore the city’s original master plan.
However, critics say the exercise has rendered thousands homeless without adequate compensation.
Sahara Reporters
