Armed operatives identified as officers of the Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday morning reportedly stormed the private residence of the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Professor Abayomi O. Ogunwole, in an early-morning operation aimed at taking him to Lagos over a fresh petition.
SaharaReporters learnt that the operatives reportedly arrived at the Vice-Chancellor’s quarters at about 6:20am and forced their way into the compound, creating tension among residents and university officials.
Sources told SaharaReporters that the armed policemen, upon gaining access to the premises, threatened to shoot the resident guard dogs in order to neutralise any resistance to their operation.
According to the sources, the officers also made it clear that their intention was to take Professor Ogunwole into custody and transport him directly to Lagos.
The development reportedly triggered swift mobilisation within the university community as news of the operation spread across the campus.
Staff members and students were said to have rushed to the Vice-Chancellor’s residence, with the large gathering eventually creating significant pressure on the police team.
Sources said the intervention of several key individuals, alongside the presence of a large number of university staff and students, helped to de-escalate the situation and ultimately compelled the Lagos police operatives to withdraw from the premises.
The circumstances surrounding the operation are linked to an ongoing dispute involving petitions against the current administration of the university, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Preliminary information obtained by SaharaReporters indicates that the latest development is connected to a petition co-authored by Dr Kehinde Adetola of the Faculty of Law and the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina.
The latest police action is said to be part of a series of petition and legal-related developments involving the university administration.
Sources said that shortly after the Osun State governorship elections, the current Vice-Chancellor was previously detained on the directive of the Inspector-General of Police over a separate petition allegedly written by the same individuals.
He was, however, subsequently released on bail on personal recognition.
Despite the subsisting bail arrangement, the complainants allegedly submitted another petition to the Lagos State Police Command, resulting in Wednesday morning’s operation at the Vice-Chancellor’s residence in Ekiti State.
The decision to involve the Lagos State Police Command, despite the Vice-Chancellor being based in Ekiti State and the university being located in Oye-Ekiti, has reportedly raised questions within the university community about the jurisdictional basis and circumstances surrounding the operation.
Sources explained that the fresh petition was pursued through the Lagos police authorities rather than through the relevant authorities in Ekiti State.
The development has heightened concerns among members of the university community, who questioned why armed police officers from Lagos would travel to Ekiti State in the early hours of the morning to effect the arrest of the Vice-Chancellor over a petition when there was already an existing bail arrangement.
Sources further explained that Dr Adetola has been able to exert considerable influence in the matter because of a family connection within the Nigeria Police Force.
According to the sources, Dr Adetola’s biological brother is a serving police officer, and they alleged that the connection may have facilitated the involvement of the Lagos State Police Command in the matter.
The operation has also generated concerns among staff and students over an increasingly tense relationship between different factions within the university community.
(SaharaReporters)
