Some staff and students of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) on Wednesday foiled an attempt to arrest the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, at his residence in Ado-Ekiti by police officers.
The VC had raised an alarm that policemen had surrounded his residence in Ado-Ekiti and their mission was unclear.
The development drew members of the university community, including academic and non-academic staff and students, to the Vice-Chancellor’s residence, where they gathered in solidarity and opposed the alleged arrest.
Speaking to journalists at his residence in Ado-Ekiti, Ogunwole said the policemen arrived at his official residence around 6:10 am, shortly after he had gone to bed at about 3 am, adding that his children woke him up after noticing the security personnel around the house.
The Vice-Chancellor said he initially declined to come out because he was unsure whether the men were genuine police officers and wanted to establish the reason for their presence.
He added that the police team later told him that they had a warrant, but he insisted that he would not leave the house without first being properly informed of the basis of the arrest.
Ogunwole linked the development to a petition allegedly written by some individuals connected with the university, including the immediate past Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Fasina, and a former Dean of the Faculty of Law, Dr. Kehinde Adeola.
He said the dispute arose from an audio recording which he alleged had leaked, prompting the university management to ask those involved to appear before an investigative committee to explain its contents.
According to him, the matter had subsequently gone to court, while he had also petitioned the Inspector-General of Police over what he described as threats to his life and workplace.
The Vice-Chancellor said he had instructed his lawyers to approach the police to explain that the matter was already before the court and that he was available to respond to any lawful invitation. Credit: channelstv.com
