ASUU protests in OAU, demands release of ex-acting Vice Chancellor held by EFCC

Members of the Academic Staff Union of the Universities (ASUU), Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, branch, on Monday demanded immediate release of the ex-acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Anthony Elujoba, who is presently facing prosecution by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The lecturers, who made the demand during a protest march on the campus of the university in Ile-Ife, Osun State, accused some senior members of the academic community of masterminding the present travails of Elujoba.

Prof. Elujoba, was last week Friday arraigned before Justice David Oladimeji of an Osun state High Court, Ede, by the EFCC on the charges, bothering on fraud and diversion of funds and was subsequently remanded in the custody of the anti graft body until Tuesday, July 11.

Stating the position of the union during the protest, ASUU caretaker chairman, Dr. Niyi Sunmonu, said Prof Elujoba did not commit any financial crime, but was being victimised by some people with-in the institution for given to the staffers what was their legitimate entitlements, when he was in the office as acting vice chancellor.

Sunmonu further explained that “following the agitation of workers for payment of their legitimate allowance and the discovery of a floating huge sum of University’s fund, Prof. Elujoba approved the payment of three hundred thousand naira and one hundred and fifty thousand to each senior and junior member of staff respectively.

“This payment and his other financial actions were subsequently given covering approval by the Governing Council as empowered. In an attempt to sanitise the system and address vital and critical issues and affecting the university, Prof.Elujoba set up thirty-seven specific fact-finding Task Forces.

” Most of these Task Forces had submitted their reports and the white papers had been submitted through the university Senate to the Governing Council. The findings of the Task Forces, especially those that addressed the University’s finances and their management, were staggering and stunning!

“Hence, some staff unions petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with the financial crimes discovered to have been perpetrated, which to the best of our knowledge, have not been addressed by the EFCC to date”.

 

Bola Bamigbola, Osogbo