The Great Ife Student Representative Council, in a release on 21st October, demanded urgent action regarding the incessant robberies that have plagued student hostels in the past few months in Ile Ife. The once peaceful environment has now become a hunting ground for robbers who unleash terror on defenceless students.
According to the SRC, another robbery took place yesterday, 20th October, at Oreoluwa Hostel in Moremi Estate, Ile Ife, at around 11:00 pm, where students were attacked, dispossessed of their gadgets and valuables, and left injured. The SRC further stated that this is not an isolated event; it is a continuation of a frightening trend that has persisted for far too long while those responsible for protecting lives and property fold their arms in shameful silence.
Persistent Robbery Cases
If you recall, ACJOAU reported that a robbery took place in April in Moremi Estate, where students were beaten and injured before their valuables were taken away. Eyewitnesses described the events as horrifying, and when asked about the presence of the vigilantes in the estate, the reply they received was that the vigilantes are stationed only at the gate and are not meant to be present in the estate.
A few months ago, student hostels around Ife were being robbed. On 9th April 2025, it was reported that a violent robbery took place at Moremi Estate, where intruders broke into student hostels and stole valuables. A week later, another robbery occurred near Urban Day Secondary School in Mayfair, with the robbers escaping despite police intervention. Shortly thereafter, Moremi Estate experienced another robbery that received little attention due to swift action. However, on 19th May, a serious incident left a fourth-year student from the Department of Materials Science severely injured after being attacked with a machete. Fortunately, he survived.
On 28th May, the Modomo area also reported a robbery involving the theft of a car and other valuables. These robberies occurred continuously, with some victims reporting that the perpetrators were armed individuals. The current incidents of kidnapping in Ile Ife can be attributed, in part, to the fact that criminals have recently been evading capture.
Urgent Actions Demanded
The SRC condemned this growing wave of insecurity in the strongest possible terms and is outraged that the lives of future leaders have been reduced to mere statistics of robbery and fear. The SRC added in their statement that they are not unaware that security votes, running into millions every month, are being allocated to the Governor of Osun State, who doubles as the Chief Security Officer of the State. Yet the streets of Ile Ife remain unsafe, and our students continue to suffer, which begs the question: if these funds are truly being used for security, then where is the security? This is a wake-up call—a challenge to conscience and responsibility.
The SRC therefore demands immediate and decisive action from the Governor of Osun State, the Osun State Commissioner of Police, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Moore Division, and all other relevant security agencies, stating that the lives of the Great Ife students are not expendable. We refuse to continue as victims of negligence and empty promises. Our safety must no longer be treated as a favour; it is our right.
The SRC also wishes to express deep sympathy to all students who were victims of the recent attacks and hopes for their speedy recovery. The body emphasises that the long-term solution lies in bringing more students back on campus. They further stated that the University Management must act now by prioritising the construction of more on-campus hostels, and they equally call on alumni, philanthropists, and well-meaning Nigerians to contribute to this effort. Safety cannot be guaranteed when thousands of students are forced to live outside campus due to inadequate accommodation.