The Students Union Government (SUG) of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, has disagreed with the State Police Command over attacks on its Oru-Ijebu division.

Some students of the institution, last Saturday, reportedly attacked the police station demanding release of their members allegedly in custody.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, however, denied the allegation, insisting that no student was detained at the station.

Babaseyi said: “On Saturday, March 28, 2026, a group of students mobilised to Oru-Ijebu Police Division, claiming some of their colleagues were detained. The Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Oru-Ijebu, also said no student was in his custody.

“The students became agitated, breached the station gate, threw stones and bottles, while threatening police personnel and property. Reinforcement was used to disperse the crowd. Normalcy has since been restored.”

But, in a swift reaction, the SUG accused the police of attacking the students’ leaders and shooting at unarmed students protesting peacefully at Oru-Ijebu Police Station.

The union, in a statement co-signed by the President, Kehinde Bamigbose, and the General Secretary, Olajire Emmanuel, yesterday, asserted that the students approached the station on hearing that some of their colleagues were arrested under “unclear and questionable circumstances.”

It said the information forced the SUG legal director to pay an impromptu visit to the station to ascertain what the situation is and engage the officers, but was surprised hearing that the police manhandled the legal director. It noted that the student who accompanied the director to the station, was also assaulted.

The SUG condemned the behaviour of the officers on duty as unprofessional.

“Shockingly, while carrying out his legitimate duty, our legal director was subjected to degrading treatment; he was physically assaulted, kicked and violently manhandled by officers of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF).

“Even more disturbing, a student who accompanied him was slapped by officers during the encounter. These acts represent a gross violation of human dignity, professional ethics and the rule of law,” the union said.

It explained that upon receiving the report of the assault, the SUG president, in company of other student leaders, intervened.

“Rather than engage constructively, the police officers resorted to reckless violence. Without justification, they opened fire on unarmed students. In the course of the unwarranted aggression, a student was shot in the hand; others were brutalised and assaulted; multiple students were unlawfully arrested; panic and chaos were deliberately instigated through continuous gunfire.

“Innocent bystanders and students were subjected to fear, intimidation and physical harm.”

The union described the incident as an abuse of power, saying they won’t stand for intimidation or violence against students.

It called for investigation and prosecution of the officers involved, as well as medical treatment and compensation for injured students, and release of detained students.

“We find it utterly unacceptable that officers entrusted with maintaining law and order would instead become agents of terror against the very citizens they are meant to protect,” it added. (The Guardian)

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