The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Professor Abayomi Fasina, has denied claims that he ordered the arrest of leaders of the university’s Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).
Speaking to reporters on Monday in Ado-Ekiti, Fasina said he was out of Ekiti State when reports emerged that some SSANU leaders had been detained by the police. He said he immediately contacted the state’s Commissioner of Police for clarification and appealed for their release.
He maintained that there was no reason for him to instigate any arrests, adding that his focus since assuming office last week has been on restoring peace and stability on campus.
“Except they want to be unfair to me. As soon as I resumed office, I approved the payment of relocation allowance for these workers. About N160 million was released for that purpose. So how can I be responsible for any arrest?” Fasina said.
The vice chancellor appealed to both staff and students to prioritise dialogue and peaceful resolution of issues, noting that the university’s interests should come before individual grievances.
Earlier on Monday, SSANU had raised alarm over the arrest of five of its members, including its chairman, Comrade Faleye Benjamin, and others, alleging that the move followed a petition from the university’s chief security officer.
However, the Ekiti State Police Command denied the arrest. Police spokesperson DSP Sunday Abutu clarified that the unionists were only invited for questioning over certain issues and had since been released.
He said, “The police did not arrest them. They were invited over certain developments and have been asked to go.”
