OAU SRC Cries Out Over Rising Robberies in Ile-Ife, Demands Urgent Security Action
By Joseph Iyaji | Akahi News
The Students’ Representative Council (SRC) of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has raised alarm over the growing wave of armed robberies and violent attacks targeting students residing off-campus — a situation that has left many traumatised and in fear for their safety.
According to a detailed report published by the Association of Campus Journalists, OAU (ACJOAU) and monitored by Akahi News, the SRC, in a press statement issued on Monday, condemned the persistent insecurity in Ile-Ife and demanded urgent government intervention.
Students Under Siege in Ile-Ife
The SRC revealed that another disturbing robbery incident occurred on Sunday night, October 20, 2025, at Oreoluwa Hostel in Moremi Estate, Ile-Ife. Armed men reportedly stormed the hostel around 11 p.m., dispossessing students of their valuables and leaving several injured.
Akahi News gathered that this latest incident is part of a long-standing trend of robberies targeting students in the university’s host community. The Council lamented that the once peaceful academic environment has now become a hotspot for criminal attacks, with security agencies allegedly turning a blind eye.
In its statement, the SRC noted that these attacks have become “a frightening pattern” while authorities tasked with ensuring safety continue to fail in their responsibilities.
Past Incidents Highlight Security Collapse
Citing multiple robbery cases previously reported by ACJOAU, Akahi News learnt that the Moremi Estate area has been hit several times this year, with victims sustaining injuries and losing property worth millions of naira.
On April 9, 2025, robbers invaded several hostels within the estate, beating students and stealing laptops, phones, and cash. Another incident occurred near Urban Day Secondary School in Mayfair, and on May 19, a student from the Department of Materials Science was brutally attacked with a machete.
Further reports confirmed that areas like Modomo and Parakin have also been targeted in recent months, as insecurity in and around Ile-Ife worsens despite repeated complaints from residents and students alike.
“Where Are the Security Votes?” — SRC Questions Osun Government
In the statement obtained by Akahi News, the SRC accused the Osun State Government of negligence, questioning how millions of naira in monthly security votes could be spent while citizens remain unsafe.
“If these funds are truly being used for security, then where is the security?” the SRC queried, calling on Governor Ademola Adeleke and the Osun State Commissioner of Police to take immediate and decisive action.
The Council warned that the lives of students must no longer be treated as expendable and demanded visible security presence in and around student-dominated communities.
OAU Management Urged to Provide On-Campus Hostels
Beyond calling on the state government, the SRC also appealed to the OAU Management to fast-track efforts toward constructing more on-campus hostels to reduce students’ exposure to external threats.
Akahi News reports that the SRC also encouraged alumni, philanthropists, and public-spirited Nigerians to contribute to improving campus accommodation, insisting that safety cannot be guaranteed when thousands of students are forced to live off-campus.
Students Speak Out
In interviews monitored by Akahi News, several OAU students expressed deep frustration over the insecurity. Many said they now live in fear and can no longer move freely at night. Some questioned the effectiveness of local vigilante groups, claiming they only operate at estate gates while robbers strike unchecked within.
The Way Forward
The SRC, through ACJOAU, vowed to keep holding relevant authorities accountable until the situation improves. It reiterated that students’ safety is a right, not a privilege, and any further negligence would be met with mass mobilisation and public protest.
Akahi News will continue to follow developments on this story and provide verified updates as the university and state authorities respond.
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