From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The leadership of National Association of University Students (NAUS), has threatened to shut down the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), over failure of the Federal Government to take decisive action in resolving the festering crisis rocking the University.
The university students have also given the federal government 72 hours to remove the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Sunday Fasina, over allegations of sexual harassment and mismanagement of the university’s resources brought against the VC by Folashade Adebayo and other senior staff of the university.
NAUS gave the ultimatum in a letter signed by its national president, Comrade Peter Oche, and addressed to the Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, a copy of which was made available to newsmen in Abuja.
He said that NAUS has commenced nationwide mobilization of students and would not stop until the voice of the student body is heard and justice is served.
Oche, in the letter, said NAUS was in full support of the earlier petition by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), urging the Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, to immediately remove the Vice-Chancellor.
NANS President Comrade Olusola Oladoja in the earlier petition expressed disappointment over the handling of the sexual harassment case by the panel set up to investigate it, and accused the University’s Governing Council, under the Chairmanship of Senator Victor Udo Udoma, SAN, of worsening the situation in the institution by hurriedly suspending the Senior Staff Association Nigerian Universities (SSANU) chairman and secretary without granting due process to both sides.
NAUS, therefore, called on the Minister of Education to take immediate action on the petition of NANS by removal of the Vice-Chancellor as well as suspending the chairman of the Governing Council.
“We demand the constitution of an independent investigative panel, comprising students, legal practitioners, and external stakeholders, to revisit and thoroughly probe all sexual harassment cases, especially that of Dr. Agbegbedia.
“Special audit of all financial activities of the university under Prof. Fasina. Protection for whistleblowers, including SSANU executives and Dr. Ngozi Ole, who has been targeted for standing up to injustice. Public acknowledgement of the institutional failures and a commitment to restoring justice, peace, and academic integrity to FUOYE,” he stated.
Oche warned that failure to act within 72 hours of this letter will leave the students with no choice but to mobilize for peaceful shutdown of FUOYE campuses beginning Wednesday, 7th May 2025; mass demonstration at the Ministry of Education, National Assembly, and the Aso Rock Presidential Villa.