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IBADAN, Oyo State — The Senior Special Assistant to the Oyo State Governor on Students’ Affairs, Comrade Victor Dideoluwa Olojede, has issued a comprehensive rebuttal to allegations that he threatened protesters with a firearm and ordered assaults during demonstrations over the recent abduction of students in Oriire local government, Oyo state.
In a detailed statement released from his office on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, Olojede described the accusations as false and politically motivated, while providing a day-by-day account of his involvement in the protests that have gripped parts of Ibadan and Ogbomoso over the past week.
The protests erupted following the abduction of students about two weeks ago, an incident comrade Victor Olojede called “truly a sad event.” The SSA said he has “personally lent my voice to find a way to bring these children back safely to their parents.”
Giving what he termed “for the sake of accountability,” Olojede recounted his activities beginning Monday, when he joined protesters marching from Mokola through Agodi Gate and Total Garden to the Oyo State Government Secretariat.
While at the Secretariat gate, Olojede said he intervened repeatedly to maintain order among demonstrators. He stated that when “some of these supposedly peaceful protesters began manhandling commercial motorcyclists and even elderly people,” he “called them to order” and cautioned that “if they resorted to bullying or violence, the purpose of the protest would not be achieved.”
The Governor’s aide further disclosed that he directed protesters to allow passage for a truck loaded with gas cylinders that had been stopped on the road, warning that “if anything ignited the gas-laden vehicle, it could cause an explosion.” According to him, the protesters complied.
Comrade Victor Olojede credited his intervention for the reopening of blocked roads at 2:00 PM on Monday, stressing that he “stood there with them as one of them” due to shared concern for the abducted children. He added that he purchased bottled water for some protesters “to help them stay calm.”
The situation escalated on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, Comrade Olojede said, after the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) met with Governor Seyi Makinde at the Secretariat to register their concerns.
Following the meeting, Comrade Olojede stated that he joined a NANS delegation of about six hundred students traveling to Orire Local Government Area in Ogbomoso to visit the affected schools and sympathize with families of the abducted students.
En route, the convoy stopped at a filling station to refuel when, according to Comrade Victor Olojede, a group of protesters confronted the NANS leadership and demanded they join a road blockade. After NANS leaders declined, citing a separate itinerary, “another set of these supposedly peaceful protesters arrived and attacked the students with sticks and stones,” he said. The student leaders “repelled the attack,” he added.
Comrade Victor Olojede maintained that during the clash he “was the one separating the parties” and “pleading with the large crowd of students to move away and continue our journey.” He also cited recovering a participant’s seized camera during the demonstration as evidence of his “neutrality and lack of animosity toward the group.”
Hours after the Ogbomoso incident, Comrade Olojede said he began receiving calls “from across the globe” alleging he had “pointed a gun at people and ordered that some individuals be beaten.”
“Me? No! Let me emphasize that in all my life, I have never held a firearm, let alone thought of killing a fellow human being,” Olojede stated.
He described the circulation of his phone number and the threats that followed as an attempt to “tarnish my image” by “those who claim to fight oppressors” but are “the very ones oppressing me.”
Invoking the principle of fair hearing, the SSA said: “In our clamour for a better Nigeria, one of the foundational elements we must uphold is the right to a fair hearing.” He thanked Nigerians who “gave me a listening ear” and addressed those who believe the claims by stating, “I hope you find this a worthy disclaimer,” adding, “The law implies that he who alleges must prove.”
The abduction of the students has intensified political pressure on the Oyo State Government, with student bodies, labor unions, and civil society groups demanding decisive action. The Governor’s meeting with NANS, NUT, and NLC leadership on Tuesday signals the administration’s effort to engage stakeholders directly.
Comrade Victor Olojede’s statement positions him as both a government official and an advocate for the abducted students, repeatedly emphasizing his presence on the ground and his interventions to prevent violence. However, the conflicting accounts between the SSA and some protesters underscore the tension surrounding the demonstrations.
As of press time, security agencies have not publicly confirmed the status of the rescue operation for the abducted students. The Oyo State Government has not issued an additional statement on the allegations against Comrade Victor Olojede.
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