Some soldiers from the Army Depot, Osogbo, have allegedly invaded the halls of residence of students of Osun State University, Osogbo and assaulted students.

During the incidents, soldiers also allegedly seized and took away over 60 mobile phones and other electronic gadgets belonging to the students.

Also during the invasion, which took place Monday evening, some female students were reportedly stripped naked and made to forcefully dance unclad by the rampaging soldiers, said to be part of the batch that had their passing-out parade last Saturday.

The perpetrators also allegedly raped a female student, but the allegation can not be immediately verified as no victim of rape could be identified among the students as of the time of filing this report.

In other incidents, soldiers were also accused of beating up male students and other residents they found adorning clothes or caps in Army colours.

The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Clement Adebooye, who visited some of the halls of residence that were attacked by the soldiers on Tuesday, said the incident had been reported to the Army Depot management.

“We have reported to the management of the depot. It is sad that the Army Depot, located close to the campus, which we felt would give us security cover, could eventually release men that will subject our students to this kind of harrowing experience,” the VC said while addressing some of the affected students.

The Public Relations Officer of the University, Ademola Adesoji, while giving further updates on the incidents during a chat with The PUNCH, said many students were affected, adding that “over 20 have already been identified as the victims.

“The soldiers came from Osogbo Army Depot. They assaulted the students. Some female students said they were stripped by the soldiers. They also said they touched them indecently.

“Some male students were also assaulted. Two students were hospitalised, but one was discharged this morning. Over 60 gadgets, including phones, were seized from the students.

“Three of the perpetrators were identified and brought to the campus this morning. The VC has taken the matter up with the Army authority. We can’t confirm the alleged rape yet,” Adesoji said. (PUNCH)

Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has approved scholarships for over 760 beneficiaries under the 2025/2026 Local Scholarship Scheme, in a move that further underscores his administration’s commitment to expanding access to quality education and developing the state’s human capital.

The Executive Secretary of the Enugu State Scholarship and Education Loans Board, Chukwuemeka Mbah, disclosed this on Monday in Enugu.

According to him, the beneficiaries, drawn from the 17 Local Government Areas of the state and across various academic disciplines, comprise over 500 undergraduate students, 100 postgraduate students, and 160 public sector teachers.

He explained that successful candidates who passed the Computer-Based Test (CBT) are already being contacted via text messages and email on an LGA-by-LGA basis for verification and documentation.

Mbah said the scholarship scheme reflects Governor Mbah’s unwavering commitment to investing in education, empowering young people, and equipping the workforce with the knowledge and skills needed to drive the state’s transformation agenda.

He urged successful applicants to promptly respond to the messages sent to them to facilitate the verification process.

According to him, the scholarship award is one of the key education initiatives of the Mbah administration aimed at ensuring that financial constraints do not stand in the way of academic excellence and human capital development in Enugu State.

“More beneficiaries will be captured in the next phase of the scholarship programme. It’s open to the people of Enugu State, and I want to urge our people to continue to apply. This is not the time to say you’re unable to get quality education because of funding. The governor has made it easy for our people to access free, quality education,” he added.

President Bola Tinubu administration has approved the comprehensive reform of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

Under the new arrangement, the military will no longer head the scheme.

Instead, the agency will be led by a civilian in its operational leadership, while the military will continue to handle security for corps members across the country.

The development was announced on Monday by the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande after the Federal Executive Council, FEC, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Tinubu also directed the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, and the Minister of Youth, Ayodele Olawande, to amend the NYSC Act and its regulations to reflect all the approved reform measures, enabling immediate implementation of the new framework.

Some of the landmark reforms include:

A technology-driven call-up process.

Risk-sensitive deployment to better protect corps members.

A redesigned six-week orientation programme with a stronger focus on leadership, entrepreneurship, digital skills, and specialised career streams.

Skills-based primary assignments aligned with academic background and career pathways.

Modern governance with civilian operational leadership while the military continues to provide security support.

Improved camp standards through a national grading and certification system.

A new graduation ceremony to replace the Passing Out Parade, and a redesigned NYSC uniform that reflects professionalism and national pride.