Students and Staff Stop Police from Arresting FUOYE Vice-Chancellor

Staff and students of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Ekiti State, stopped an alleged police attempt to arrest the Vice-Chancellor, Joshua Ogunwole, on Wednesday.

Mr Ogunwole, a professor, spoke to journalists at his home in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital. He said police officers came to his official residence shortly after he went to bed around 3 a.m. His children woke him up after noticing security officers outside the house.

The VC said he raised an alarm that his home was surrounded. This drew attention from the university community, including staff and students, who came to support him and resist the alleged arrest. Mr Ogunwole mentioned that he did not come out at first because he was unsure if the men were real police officers and wanted to know why they were there.

He added that the police later claimed they had a warrant. But he insisted he would not leave his house without knowing the reason for the arrest. Mr Ogunwole linked this situation to a petition supposedly written by some people connected to the university. This includes the last Vice-Chancellor, Abayomi Fasina, and a former Dean of the Faculty of Law, Kehinde Adeola.

He explained that the dispute started from an audio recording that he claimed was leaked. The university management then asked those involved to appear before an investigative committee to explain the recording's content. According to him, the matter ended up in court, and he also filed a complaint with the Inspector-General of Police about what he called threats to his life and job.

The Vice-Chancellor informed his lawyers to talk to the police and explain that the matter was already in court. He made it clear that he was ready to respond to any lawful invitation. He remembered that he had previously gone to the police in response to an earlier complaint. He went with his lawyers and was questioned from morning till evening before being released.

Mr Ogunwole believed that the latest situation could have been managed with an invitation instead of surrounding his home. "Somebody of my calibre would not run away anywhere. Rather than surrounding my house, there are other better approaches to invite me," he said.

He also expressed confidence in the rule of law and stated that he would continue to work on his plans to improve the university. When PREMIUM TIMES reached out by phone, the Ekiti State Police Command spokesperson, Sunday Abutu, said he would call back to discuss the matter. He had not done so by the time of this report.

Meanwhile, FUOYE’s Director of Public Affairs and Communication, Sunday Saanu, reacted to the situation. He called the police action mischievous, saying Mr Ogunwole had previously responded to a police invitation. "This was based on a false petition written by some elements in the system," he added.

He continued, "After that, the Vice-Chancellor instructed his lawyers to represent him. It was shocking to see the police at the Vice-Chancellor’s home, saying they needed him. While talking to the workers on Wednesday, the Vice-Chancellor said his administration would not be distracted by the noise in the marketplace."

Mr Saanu quoted the VC as saying, "This is a passing phase. FUOYE will rise beyond the current resistance of the forces of darkness." The FUOYE branch chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ojo Fagbuagun, also spoke out. He said the union was at the residence to oppose what he called attempts to intimidate the Vice-Chancellor.

Mr Fagbuagun claimed that some individuals from the university’s previous administration were against the changes Mr Ogunwole was bringing in.