Osun State University has officially stated that soldiers from the Army Depot in Osogbo allegedly attacked its students.
The report came after allegations that soldiers who had just passed out at the Nigerian Army Depot in Osogbo had broken into many of the institution’s hostels and attacked students on Monday night.
Prof. Clement Adebooye, the vice-chancellor of the institution, revealed on Tuesday that the issue had been brought to the military authorities after visiting a few of the impacted hostels to meet with students and assess the situation.
The Army Depot’s close proximity to the university has traditionally been seen as an extra security measure for the campus community, according to Adebooye, who expressed the institution’s serious worry over the occurrence.
“We have complained to the depot’s management. The vice-chancellor stated, “It is regrettable that the Army Depot, which is near the campus and we believed would provide us with security cover, could eventually release men who will subject our students to this kind of horrific experience.”
While investigations into the incident were ongoing, the institution reported that preliminary findings indicated that over 20 students had been identified as victims of the alleged attack.
Ademola Adesoji, the institution’s public relations officer, stated that reports from impacted students showed that during the operation, troops attacked both male and female students and seized over sixty cell phones and other electronic devices.
According to a few female pupils, the soldiers stripped them. They claimed to have touched them inappropriately. Adesoji added that several male pupils had also been attacked.
He also said that two pupils needed hospital care following the incident, but by Tuesday morning, one of them had been released.
Adesoji also stated that while the university administration was still in talks with the Nigerian Army regarding the accusations, three of the suspected offenders had been located and brought to the campus.
A female student was allegedly raped during the incident, according to information that the institution received.
However, Adesoji stated that since no purported victim had been discovered, the claim had not been confirmed.
“We are unable to verify the alleged rape at this time,” he stated, adding that the organization would keep looking into all reported occurrences.
According to reports, students were attacked by troops from the Depot Nigerian Army in Osogbo after they broke into the residence halls. Additionally, more than sixty cell phones and other electronic devices that belonged to the pupils were allegedly stolen.
According to reports, some female students who were part of the batch that had their passing-out parade last Saturday were stripped naked and forced to dance naked by the marauding military.
