The Senior Special Assistant to the Oyo State Governor on Students’ Affairs, Hon. Victor Dideoluwa Olojede, has given a detailed account of his activities during the past two days of protests over the abduction of students in Oriire Local Government, while denying allegations that he threatened protesters with a gun.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Olojede said he joined protesters from Mokola to Agodi Gate, Total Garden, and the Oyo State Government Secretariat on Monday, June 1, 2026, to ensure orderliness.
According to him, when some protesters began manhandling commercial motorcyclists and elderly people, he called them to order, warning that violence would defeat the purpose of the protest.
He also said he intervened to allow a truck loaded with gas cylinders to pass through the blockade to prevent an explosion, and that his intervention led to protesters reopening the roads at 2:00 PM.
He added that he bought bottled water for some protesters to help keep the demonstration peaceful.
On Tuesday, June 2, Olojede accompanied the leadership of NANS, NUT, and NLC to a meeting with Governor Seyi Makinde at the Secretariat.
He later joined the NANS delegation travelling to Oriire LGA in Ogbomoso to visit affected schools and sympathize with families of the abducted students.
While refueling at a filling station, he said another group of protesters verbally attacked the NANS leadership and later assaulted students with sticks and stones.
“I was the one separating the parties, urging people to leave the scene so they would not get injured, and pleading with the large crowd of students to move away and continue our journey,” he stated.
He also said he recovered a seized camera for a participant during the altercation, which he said demonstrated his neutrality.
Following the incident, Olojede said he began receiving calls from across the globe alleging that he pointed a gun at people and ordered beatings. “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,” he said.
He described the claims as false and defamatory, accusing those who publicized his phone number of seeking to tarnish his image.
“In our clamour for a better Nigeria, one of the foundational elements we must uphold is the right to a fair hearing. It is quite surprising, and indeed sad, to hear that those who claim to fight oppressors are the very ones oppressing me,” he added.
Olojede thanked Nigerians who gave him a chance to explain his side and urged those who believed the allegations to note his disclaimer. “The law implies that he who alleges must prove,” he said.
The SSA reiterated that he remains committed to the safe return of the abducted students and to protecting the rights of protesters to demonstrate peacefully.
