EFCC to arraign ex-Works Minister, FUNAAB VC, ex-Bursar in court
…Commission confirms detention of Ogunlewe, Oyewole, Ilesanmi
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By Femi Shodunke
NIGERIA: AT last, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will on Friday arraign the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta in Ogun State, Professor Olusola Oyewole, before an Ogun State High Court.
Oyewole is also the Founder and General Overseer of the Divine Height Bible Church, Abeokuta, which was attacked by students of FUNAAB during the last riot over security challenges at their hostels.
Similarly, the Pro-Chancellor of the university and Chairman of the Governing Council, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, and the erstwhile Bursar, Mr. Moses Ilesanmi, would also appear in court to explain all they know about the allegation of financial misappropriation and betrayal of public trust leveled against them.
The EFCC Head of Public Affairs, Ibadan Zonal Office, Mr. Ayo Oyewole, told GatewayMail that Oyewole, Ogunlewe, a former Works Minister, and Ilesanmi, who recently retired from the university, had been detained by the commission from where they would appear in court on Friday.
According to him, the decision to arraign the FUNAAB top officials followed the conclusion of investigation over the petitioned received by the commission from the “concerned stakeholders” of the university.
Oyewole, who confirmed the detention of the officials, said: “According to a petition submitted to the EFCC by the Concerned Stakeholders of the Federal University of Agriculture, it was alleged that the Pro Chancellor, the Vice Chancellor and the Bursar engaged in an ‘unbridled corruption and betrayal of public trust.”
“They would be taken from the custody to court on Friday,” Oyewole further told GatewayMail.
It would be recalled that the university only recently sacked 23 workers, among whom are the three “whistleblowers” – Mr. A.O. Salaam (Department of College of Biological Science), Mr. O. P. Somoye (Department of Agricultural Media Resources and Extension Centre), and Mr. F.A Bankole (Directorate of Environmental Management Unit).
The trio of Salaam, Somoye and Bankole – who had earlier been placed on indefinite suspension – were accused of conduct prejudicial to the smooth running and governance of the institution.
The three university staff had petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari and the EFCC accusing Ogunlewe, Oyewole and Ilesanmi, of allegedly misappropriating several millions of the university’s funds.
The EFCC thereafter summoned Oyewole and Ilesanmi to the Ibadan office of the commission where they were quizzed and few days after the workers were relieved of their jobs and placed on indefinite suspension.
Their suspension and placement on half salary till further notice was contained in their separate letters signed by the Registrar, M.O Ayoola, and dated August 22, 2016.
The order asking the officers to vacate the academic campus, GatewayMail learnt, was on the directive of Oyewole, who was alleged to have been peeved by the petition that led to his invitation and Ilesanmi by the EFCC officials who grilled the duo for several hours.
The letter reads: “The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olusola Bandele Oyewole, has been reliably informed of your meddlesomeness and with confirmatory evidence of your participation in some acts prejudicial to the smooth running and governance of the university.”
“He has therefore directed that you be placed on suspension until the matter is thoroughly investigated. Consequently, on the above and by the provision of Federal University of Agriculture Act 1992 number 48 of 2nd November,1992, section 17 subsection (2) you are hereby suspended from duty with immediate effect on half pay,” the letter declared.
The letter ordered the three officers to keep off the university campus throughout the suspension period and must hand over all university properties in their possession to their immediate supervisors before leaving their posts.
It said: “You are to handover all university properties in your possession to your immediate supervisor. Please ensure that you keep off the university throughout the suspension.”
But, the university said that the sack of the “whistleblowers” and 20 other workers was taken to restore normalcy to academic activities and ensure peace in the institution.
Similarly, the university said in a press statement that the workers were dismissed, among others, for stealing, insubordination, sabotage and disobedience after the Governing Council, headed by Ogunlewe, considered and approved management decision at its 90th statutory meeting recently.
“As part of necessary reforms aimed at repositioning the University, the Governing Council approved Management’s decisions earlier taken to restore normal academic activities and peace to the University and commended the efforts of the Management and staff, to sustain the integrity of the University,” the university said in the statement entitled “FUNAAB Governing Council repositions university.”
“Council also disengaged some erring staff from the services of the University for various offences, which includes stealing of University property, insubordination, wilful disobedience to lawful instructions, absconding from assigned duty posts, sabotage and other forms of gross misconduct, prejudicial to good governance and peace of the University,” the statement said.
It further explained: “This is in line with the resolve of the Governing Council to fulfill its statutory roles of ensuring the stability of the University.”
The statement also said the Council approved the appointment of Mrs. Oluremi O. Oyewunmi as Acting University Bursar, after the expiration of the tenure of Ilesanmi, adding that the process for the appointment of a substantive University Bursar had started.
“Council enjoined all staff to be dedicated to duty, as necessary steps are being taken to attend to issues of welfare, such as promotions, staff training and development while reiterating its resolve not to entertain any form of indiscipline in the University,” the statement stated.
However, the whistleblowers, who condemned their dismissal, said that the justifications of the management were “cooked up reaction to the allegations leveled against them.”
The erstwhile Deputy Director in the Department of Agricultural Media Resources and Extension Centre, Mr. Lasun Somoye, who spoke with GatewayMail said: “Imagine someone who was accused of stealing now alleging that another person stole.”
“The allegations are cooked up, unreal and just part of the attempts to wickedly cover up the tracks of the Vice-Chancellor and Council over the allegations of fraud leveled against them,” he declared on behalf of his colleagues.
Somoye added: “None of the 23 staff were ever queried for any of the allegations leveled against them. They were never investigated, but all of a sudden, they were alleged to have been dismissed on the trumped up allegations.
He urged the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to institute a panel to look into their sack and the allegations leveled against Ogunlewe, Oyewole, Ilesanmi and the Council.
Somoye said: “The challenge is for the federal government to intervene and set up a neutral body to investigate the matters in FUNAAB. For a Vice-Chancellor and council who were alleged to have stolen, to now sit in judgement over their accusers, and allege them of stealing shows how morally low these people can get.
“The EFCC must step up its game, conclude investigations, while the federal government, if it is truly sincere with its anti-corruption crusade, must immediately intervene and not allow the matter to fester or degenerate. Nigerians are watching and it’s a test of the sincerity of government.”
He added: “Certain pertinent questions need to be asked. Why are the sacks coming now? What are the specific items stolen by these staff and details of their offences? Were they queried and can the university provide evidences of the queries and responses?
“When and what are the details of the investigation panels they were asked to appear in? The university council has done nothing but lie. It is, however, not surprising as it is a common African saying that a child that steals must lie. After stealing government and FUNAAB funds, they must lie to cover up what they stole!”
When contacted, the Head, Directorate of Public Relations of the university, Mrs. Emi’ Alawode declined to comment after reading the messages asking for her reaction.
