On Tuesday, June 17th, the Faculty of Social Sciences witnessed a violent confrontation resulting in injuries to several students, the clash involving the Speaker of the Faculty Legislative Council, Ajibola Badrudeen (popularly known as Ajifact), members of the faculty taskforce, and Honourable Azeez Fatoyinbo, popularly known as AZ. The incident was triggered by AZ’s refusal to comply with a faculty resolution passed on Monday, June 16th, which barred him from using the faculty’s lecture theatre for tutorials.
Ajibola Badrudeen, a student in the Department of Demography and Social Statistics and the current Speaker of the Faculty of Social Sciences Students’ Representative Council, along with Azeez Fatoyinbo, a student in the Department of Political Science, serve as key actors in the unfolding drama. Hon. AZ is also a serving honourable in the Student Representative Council and Chairman of the Transport Committee Management. ACJOAU previously reported AZ’s involvement in another chaotic incident linked to the constitution of the electoral committee when Speaker of the Student Representative Council, Oladapo Olakunle (Olabest), recognised AZ to make a nomination during the electoral process. This action provoked uproar from the gallery and protests from aggrieved students.
Electoral Commission Condemns Violence as Election-Related Intimidation
A release by the Electoral Commission condemned the June 17 incident, describing it as “violence, intimidation, and cult-like activity” connected to the election period. The Commission called for an immediate investigation and summoned all parties involved to the Students’ Union Building on Wednesday, June 18th, at 4 p.m. The release urged all students and stakeholders to maintain peace, integrity, and justice during the election period and emphasised the University’s zero tolerance for any violent or disruptive behaviour threatening the safety or dignity of the student community.
Similarly, the Electoral Petition Committee condemned the attack on Hon. Azeez Fatoyinbo and other injured students, labelling the violence as “barbaric and senseless” and unacceptable under any circumstances—political, personal, or ideological. The committee announced that the perpetrators had been identified and that thorough investigations had commenced. It called on all aggrieved parties to “sheathe their swords,” channel grievances through proper channels, and reject violence in all its forms. The statement ended on a resolute note:
“We stand with the victims of this attack and will not rest until justice is served.
Great Ife is not for thuggery. Great Ife is not for violence.
Great Ife is for peace. Great Ife is for justice. Great Ife is for all.”
Faculty Leadership Issues Strong Counterstatement
In a sharp and comprehensive counterstatement, the leadership of the Faculty of Social Sciences challenged the press releases from both the Electoral Commission and the Election Petitions Committee, accusing them of spreading ‘biased, misleading, and politically motivated narratives.’ The Faculty criticised these bodies for rushing to judgment without a full investigation, thereby creating a distorted account of the June 17 events and manipulating public perception.
The Faculty attributed the crisis to AZ’s violation of a prior Faculty Congress resolution barring him from holding tutorials due to allegations of divisiveness and misrepresentation. Despite the ban, AZ allegedly held a tutorial in SSLT 1 and incited resistance among mostly non-faculty freshers when confronted by the task force. The Faculty contends that AZ misled these freshmen to act as human shields, escalating the situation into chaos, while also stating that the injury of a female student resulted from a fall during an attempt to flee the scene. The statement added, ‘Instead, he deliberately incited confusion by encouraging Part 1 students, many of whom were not even from the Faculty of Social Sciences, to resist the taskforce. Some of these freshers have since confessed that they had no idea there was any issue at all, and that their tutor, Azeez, misled and used them to create a human shield to protect himself.’
‘In his desperation, Azeez exploited these freshers, individuals he should have protected as shields, placing them in the direct path of a confrontation he deliberately provoked. The girl who was reportedly assaulted got injured when she fell while trying to run away from the scene,’ the release added.
Furthermore, the Faculty accused AZ of showing no concern for the injured student and of assaulting two elected Faculty Presidents during the altercation. The Faculty also alleged that Adebayo Samuel Obaloluwa, a member of the Electoral Commission and close friend of AZ, strangled another member of the Students’ Representative Council, who is also the Transport Committee Public Relations Officer, while DEEJAY, a Union Security Committee member, slapped the Speaker of the Faculty Legislative Council. The Faculty claims these incidents were omitted from the Electoral Commission’s release, accusing the commission of shielding its members and demanding accountability. The Faculty called for a retraction of biased statements, disciplinary actions against Adebayo Samuel and DEEJAY, a public apology, and the immediate removal of AZ.
Eyewitnesses Recount Ordeal in Attack on Tutorial Group
A 36-page PDF titled “Faculty of Social Science Stakeholders” with the tag “A PURE REFLECTION OF BLOOD CULPRIT AND DEVIL’S WORKSHOP” contains several witness testimonies from several students who attended AZ’s tutorial, painting a picture of violence with AZ at the centre of the attack.
Mimi, a student who was in the tutorial, recounted the incident: ‘We were physically harassed without any regard for our safety, threatened with a log of wood, which was swung recklessly.’ She noted that AZ was ‘roughly handled’ but later ‘came to the health centre to check up on the injured girl.’
Another student, Omotolani, emphasised AZ’s innocence, stating:’“AZ did not initiate any violence. He was singled out, dragged, hit, and humiliated by the aggressors.’ She revealed attempts to suppress evidence, saying, ‘A female student was dragged and manhandled, simply for trying to record the truth.’ Omotolani added that the aggressors dismissed everything that had occurred, claiming no such violence took place.’
Abiodun described the invaders’ coercive tactics: ‘They behaved dishonourably, ordering us to ‘go outside or stay and get locked in the Faculty Lecture Theatre.’ He refuted claims that AZ neglected the injured student, explaining, ‘He was unable to attend to her because he was restrained.’ Abiodun further testified that AZ ‘went straight to the health centre to check on the well-being of the injured student… promising to cover the bill,’ illustrating AZ’s accountability and compassion amid the chaos.
Comments from Azeez Fatoyinbo and Rt. Ajifact
When contacted by ACJ OAU, Azeez Fatoyinbo said: “I’m currently at the hospital with the injured student and not in the right frame of mind to respond to questions at the moment.
Ajibola Badrudeen, the Speaker of the Faculty of Social Sciences Legislative Council, explained that the recent clash was rooted in faculty politics, while confirming the faculty’s narrative that Hon. Azeez Fatoyinbo (AZ) began acting against the faculty’s collective interest, and despite attempts to reconcile with him, AZ refused to respond. During a Students’ Representative Council (SRC) sitting, although more than eight Honourables from Social Sciences raised their hands, the SRC Speaker bypassed them and selected AZ to nominate a candidate. This provoked immediate outrage from Social Sciences members who opposed the selection. Despite protests, AZ’s nomination stood, sparking widespread disapproval. He said, ‘We agreed that the Speaker of Psychology should go there and be our eye, at the sitting, over eight Honourables from our faculty raised their hands, but the Speaker picked AZ. Faculty members immediately protested, demanding an alternative nominee. Despite resistance, AZ was picked after that, back and forth.’
In response, the faculty convened a congress on Monday, June 16, 2025, where it was resolved that AZ should no longer hold tutorials within faculty facilities. The next day, June 17, AZ was found conducting a tutorial inside the Faculty Lecture Theatre (SSLT1). Taskforce and faculty security members approached him and asked him to stop and leave, but AZ allegedly resisted, which led to the situation escalating.
Ajibola claimed that AZ assaulted several people, including the PRO of the Transport Management Committee and another member who sustained a deep cut. He also mentioned that Samuel Ajibola inflicted internal injuries on another member of the faculty during the clash. All of which evidence has been submitted to the University Security Unit.
Regarding the female student who was injured, Ajibola clarified that she was not assaulted but fell while trying to flee the chaos. He stated that she fell twice outside the venue and was assisted by a lecturer and other members of the faculty, who took her immediately to the Health Centre. He emphasised that this showed the faculty’s proactive response and concern for student welfare.
Ajibola criticised the press releases issued by the Electoral Commission and the Election Petitions Committee, accusing them of being biased and one-sided. He said their statements were issued before the completion of investigations and were designed to gain public sympathy by highlighting the injured female student while ignoring the violence allegedly carried out by AZ and his supporters. He also pointed out that despite the documented injuries to faculty members, including one requiring medical attention, the commissions remained silent, which he saw as proof of internal bias and lack of credibility.
University Authority Links Incident to Upcoming Elections, Warns of Sanctions
In an official release signed by Prof. J. A. Odedire, Dean of the Division of Student Affairs, the University expressed grave concern over the violent incident, explicitly linking it to the forthcoming Students’ Union elections. The release stated, ‘The University authority has noted with grave concern the trend of events and activities that have transpired within the last one week on campus, especially the ugly incident that occurred at the Faculty of Social Sciences Lecture theatre. Preliminary investigations have revealed that this radically indecent and irritable show of shame was not unconnected with the build-up to the fast-approaching Students’ Union Elections.’
The University confirmed that all involved students have been identified, and those found culpable will face the full weight of existing regulations. The University reiterated its zero-tolerance policy on hooliganism, violent behaviour, and any actions resembling cult-like activity. In the press statement, the university management said, ‘We wish to remind all students that the university has zero tolerance for hooliganism or any form of violent activities and behaviour. Any action that is perceived to be cult–like in nature will be met with severe sanctions.’
The University pledged to deploy all legal instruments to maintain peace and safety, stating that, ‘Towards the coming Students’ Union Leadership elections at various levels, the University will not hesitate to deploy the full instrument of law on any student reported to show or display any untoward behaviour or any action perceived to be inimical towards the peace and safety of all members of the University community.’