The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, to investigate the alleged attempt to arrest the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, and sanction any officer found culpable.
NANS described the alleged police operation at the university as high-handed and capable of disrupting academic activities and peace on the campus.
The students’ body made the demand in a communiqué issued at the end of its elective convention held at FUOYE on Saturday and shared with journalists in Ado-Ekiti.
The communiqué was signed by the NANS Head of Administration, National Headquarters, Comrade Taiwo Owolewa; Chairman, NANS Joint Campus Committee, Ekiti State axis, Comrade Toheeb Yejeen Olawale; and President, FUOYE Students’ Union Government, Comrade Ajayi Olusegun Samuel.
Some Police operatives had reportedly laid siege to the VC’s residence last Wednesday in an attempt to arrest Ogunwole and take him to Lagos over a petition allegedly written by some individuals within the institution.
But NANS outright condemned the alleged operation, describing it as an attempt to intimidate the university administration and create tension within the institution.
The students’ leaders said, “Prof. Ogunwole is a distinguished scholar, an accomplished academic administrator, and a law-abiding citizen who has consistently demonstrated respect for established public institutions.
“If any security agency or investigative body requires clarifications, official records, or an audience with his office, the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) provides clear, civilised institutional channels for such administrative requests.
“The substitution of civilised statutory summons with armed ambush tactics at dawn is counterproductive, uncivilised, and an embarrassment to modern law enforcement.”
NANS urged the police authorities to establish the command that authorised the alleged deployment to the Vice-Chancellor’s residence and apply appropriate sanctions where wrongdoing was established.
The association said that the police should not allow their personnel or institution to be used in what it described as proxy battles, political vendettas or attempts to undermine the university’s leadership.
It said, “We caution the Police High Command, the State Command, and rank-and-file officers never again to allow the machinery of state security to be weaponised as an instrument for proxy administrative warfare, corporate sabotage, or political vendettas against our university administrators.”
The students also alleged that some disgruntled individuals were trying to use the police to create an artificial leadership crisis at the university, urging them to desist.
While passing a vote of confidence in Ogunwole, NANS commended what it described as his achievements since assuming office, particularly in academic administration, financial management and maintaining peace and stability on campus.
The students urged the Vice-Chancellor not to be distracted by what they described as attempts to undermine his administration.
The students further appealed to the police to remain impartial in matters concerning the university and allow appropriate institutional and legal channels to address any allegations against its officials.
They stressed that tertiary institutions were governed by statutory frameworks and urged security agencies to respect the autonomy and sanctity of the university environment.
