Workers of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) in Ondo State have sought the trial of their Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Adebiyi Daramola, for attempted murder. The police declined, saying he did not commit any offence.TEMITOPE YAKUBU reports.
The feud between workers of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) in Ondo State and their Vice-Chancellor, Prof Adebiyi Daramola, got to a head last week. The workers accused him of attempted murder and urged the police to try him. The police declined, saying there was no need for it.
The workers under the aegis of the Joint Action Congress (JAC) asked the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris (IGP), to arrest Prof Daramola for allegedly attempting to kill a member of the workers’ union.
Their request followed an accident involving a vehicle in the VC’s convoy in which a worker, Abiodun Atunbi, was injured. The VC was invited by the police, following the news of the Atunbi’s death. But, he was later said to be alive, prompting the police to release the VC on self-recognition.
The workers were not happy with the police decision not to try the VC. The police said there was no need to try the VC because the accident was unintended.
The workers petitioned the IGP, demanding the VC’s arrest. The petition came three days after the Registrar and Secretary to the Council, Mrs Modupe Ajayi, announced the suspension of leaders of the workers’ unions for alleged insubordination and disobedience.
Management dismissed the workers’ accusation, saying the VC’s convoy did not set out deliberately to hit the victim. According to the institution’s Public Relations Officer Mr Adegbenro Adebanjo, the accident was not planned.
The workers were not convinced by the explanation. To them, the VC deliberately set out to kill the victim because of the lingering crisis between them and management.
The JAC’s petition was jointly signed by Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) Chairman, Comrade Dele Durojaye and his counterparts in National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Comrades Omoraka Ejeiro and Bayo Aladerotohun.
The workers said their safety could no longer be guaranteed, adding that the VC’s convoy’s mishap was a smokescreen to cover up a “grand plan” by the management to eliminate those calling for the VC’s removal. They also accused the Ondo State Police Command for colluding with management to cover up Atunbi’s matter.
The petition reads: “It will be recalled that staff of the university, under the aegis of Joint Action Congress (JAC), are calling for the removal of Prof Adebiyi, by virtue of the extant laws setting up the university, Public Service Rules (2008), moral principles, fairness and in compliance with the change-begins-with-me mantra of the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
“Prof Daramola is currently being investigated by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on allegations bordering on financial impropriety and abuse of office. While we conduct ourselves peacefully within the ambit of the law, an active member of JAC, Mr Atunbi, was hit by a vehicle in the convoy of the VC on the pedestrian walk-way at Bank Junction on the campus.
“Notwithstanding the injuries inflicted on the staff, the VC’s convoy recklessly drove away to his house without recourse to the condition of the staff that was nearly crushed to death. But for the quick intervention of other workers, the victim would have been left to die on the spot.”
The workers said they were not satisfied with the “shoddy investigation” into the accident, and called on the IGP to constitute an investigation team to “thoroughly look” into it.
The workers said: “The injured staff, Atunbi, is still in critical condition at the hospital, owing to the extent of the injury sustained during the accident. Atunbi was aimed, but he was rescued from death by divine intervention.
“It is on this note that we are calling for an immediate and thorough investigation into the accident that occurred in the early hours of Monday, November 28, in which the victim was nearly crushed to death and course of justice was perverted by top echelons of the Ondo State Command of the police.
“We are requesting that all those who participated in this despicable perversion of the course of law and justice should be brought to book according to the law of the land. We understand, through your antecedent, that you abhor injustice. It is in admission of this fact that we urge you (IGP) to use your good office in bringing to book everyone who participated in this perversion of justice that almost sent the promising young victim to his grave.”
In a telephone interview with CAMPUSLIFE, Adebanjo said: “The allegations are completely false and distortion of what transpired on the day of the unfortunate accident. From verifiable facts, the vehicle conveying the Vice-Chancellor was not at the scene of the accident. It was the back-up vehicle conveying aides that hit the victim. The vehicle did not set out to kill the victim; an accident happened and the victim was caught up.
“Since the Vice Chancellor’s vehicle was not involved and he was not the one that drove the vehicle that was involved in the accident, accusation by the aggrieved workers that the VC deliberately crushed the victim does not hold water and it is untrue.”
Ondo State Police Command spokesman, Mr Femi Joseph said investigation revealed that it was an unintended accident.
He said: “The case in FUTA is that of an unintended accident and no death was recorded. The victim is recuperating in the hospital now. The police questioned the driver, a staff of the university who drove the vehicle that was involved in the accident. It was determined based on available and verifiable facts that what happened was an accident. It is uncharitable for anyone to insinuate otherwise. What is important is that the victim is alive and he is responding to treatment.”
