Controversy is growing over the reported arrest of a graduate associated with University of Ilesa after he staged a protest over an alleged delay in his mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The development has sparked reactions from student groups while also drawing a firm response from the institution’s management.
The graduate, identified as Adedoyin Temitope, popularly known as Matuwo or Aregbe, was reportedly arrested by police operatives after protesting his exclusion from the NYSC mobilisation list.
A source familiar with the situation explained that Temitope, a Geography graduate, had been waiting for over two years to be mobilised despite completing his academic programme.
“He graduated over two years ago, when some of his mates have finished their NYSC programme,” the source stated.
The delay, according to the source, was linked to discrepancies in his admission records with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.
“The excuses the school management gave him was that his JAMB registration comprises three alphabets against the widely known two alphabets,” the source added.
It was further alleged that tensions escalated after the institution informed him that he was neither eligible for mobilisation nor for an exemption certificate.
In response, Temitope reportedly returned to the campus to press his demands and draw attention to his situation.
“In that regard, he locked down the Senate building as a means to get the attention of the management after exhausting all peaceful means,” the source said.
The protest is said to have led to his arrest after university authorities allegedly contacted the police. Reports indicate that he was subsequently transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Osogbo.
The incident has been condemned by the National Association of University Students, which criticised both the arrest and the alleged treatment of the graduate.
In a statement signed by its Osun State Chairman, Comrade Adeleke Samson, the association described the development as intimidation, stating, “No student should be subjected to violence for peacefully demanding their rights.”
The group called on the university management and the Vice Chancellor, Professor Taiwo Asaolu, to investigate the matter and facilitate the graduate’s mobilisation without further delay. It also urged relevant authorities to intervene, warning that further action could be taken if the issue remains unresolved.
However, the university management has pushed back against the claims, describing the reports as inaccurate and misleading.
In a statement issued by its Registrar, Funso Ojo, the institution clarified that it has not yet graduated its first set of students, noting that its pioneer cohort, admitted in 2023, are still in their third year.
The university further explained that the individual in question completed a programme under the defunct Osun State College of Education, Ilesa, which was affiliated with the University of Ibadan before the establishment of the University of Ilesa.
It added that “issues relating to the individual’s NYSC mobilisation were linked to admission regularisation with JAMB, a process it said was not directly under its control”.
According to the institution, it has been engaging relevant stakeholders through its Student Affairs Division to guide efforts toward resolving the matter.
