The management of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, has dismissed claims that two students were arrested for protesting against the presence of Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike in the school.
The spokesperson of OAU, Abuodun Olarewaju, made this clarification on Thursday.
His clarification comes amid reports that two students were arrested by security operatives over protests against Wike, who is at OAU to deliver the Distinguished Personality Lecture at the university’s Oduduwa Hall on the topic, “Nigeria of Our Dreams.”
Reacting to the claim of OAU students’ arrest, he said everyone had the right to protest; however, minorities should not disrupt what the majority are enjoying.
According to him, the two students in question were rescued from being beaten by their colleagues.
“Everybody has a right to protest, and the minority, microscopic minorities, should not disrupt what the overwhelming majority allows.
“So, they were not arrested; they were only escorted out of the Oduduwa Hall. We didn’t want the situation to escalate, because some of their colleagues were the ones who accosted them.
“You know, when about 20 students descended on two students, something could happen. So, the security operatives there just apprehended the two students and took them out of the hall,” he said.
He added, “They rescued them (the students) from being beaten by their colleagues.”