Suspected thugs wielding guns, machetes, and other weapons on Tuesday attacked peaceful protesters in Ibadan who had marched to demand the rescue of abducted pupils, teachers, and a school principal in Oyo State.
The demonstration, organised under the banner #BringBackOurPupilsAndTeachers by a group identified as TIB, was held in response to recent kidnappings in Oriire Local Government Area and other parts of the state. Protesters had marched from Mokola towards Bodija when they were intercepted at Sango, Ibadan.
According to eyewitness accounts, the attackers physically assaulted several demonstrators. Gunshots were fired into the air, triggering panic and forcing protesters to flee. Multiple injuries were recorded, several vehicles were vandalised, and personal belongings — including mobile phones and clothing — were forcibly taken from demonstrators. Officers of the Nigeria Police Force were present throughout the incident but did not intervene.
In a statement, TIB’s Oyo State Coordinator, Dimeji Salako, identified the attack as having been led by Victor Olojede, Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde, and Akinteye Babatunde — also identified as “Babtee” — President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS). Video testimonies obtained by NOHR corroborate the allegations against both individuals.
“Their mission was clear,” Salako said — “to intimidate, brutalize, and silence citizens who dared to demand action against the epidemic of insecurity and kidnapping that has turned many communities in Oyo State into theatres of fear.”
Witnesses alleged that the attackers had met with Governor Makinde earlier in the day, and that the decision to disrupt the protest was reached at that meeting. Shortly after the attack, members of the group were observed directing traffic and controlling the road at the scene. A figure identified as “Decimal,” described as a cult figure associated with a polytechnic in Ibadan, was also reportedly among those present during the attack.
TIB accused the police and other security personnel of failing their duty. “All this attack happened in the presence of the Police and other security agents amongst us,” Salako said. “They all looked away while we were being attacked.”
The group described the violence as an assault not merely on protesters but on the constitutional rights of citizens to peaceful assembly and free expression. It said the attack would not deter its campaign.
