Tag Archives: FUNAAB

N800 million university fraud: You have a case to answer, court tells Ogunlewe.

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An Abeokuta High Court on Friday ruled that a former Minister of Works and Housing, Adeseye Ogunlewe, has a case to answer over alleged misappropriation of N800 million at Federal University of Agriculture, FUNAAB, Abeokuta, when he was pro-chancellor of the institution.

Mr. Ogunlewe is standing trial alongside the Vice Chancellor of the university, Olusola Oyewole, and the Bursar, Moses Ilesanmi, in the matter filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

They were arraigned on November 25, 2016 on an 18 -count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing, obtaining money by false pretence and abuse of office.

Mr. Ogunlewe had approached the court to quash the charges against him on the grounds of “misjoinder of offences, misjoinder of offenders and duplicity”.

The former minister, through his counsel, Tayo Oyetibo, had argued in support of the application that the proof of evidence did not link him with the charges or disclose any prima facie against him.

He also claimed that the consent of the Attorney General of Ogun State/Law officer was not obtained by the prosecution as required by law before the charges were filed.?

However, at the resumed hearing of the matter, after the adoption of the written addresses made by the parties, Justice O. C Majekodunmi ruled in favour of the EFCC.

All the grounds raised by Mr. Ogunlewe’s counsel at Thursday’s sitting were dismissed.

The prosecution counsel, Ben Ubi, thereafter sought for commencement of trial.  He informed the court that there were three witnesses in court ready to testify.

But all the counsel to the three accused persons sought for an adjournment on the ground that they were just served additional proof of evidence and would need time to study the documents.

The court conceded to their application and adjourned the case to March 8 and 10 for commencement of trial.

 

Source: Premium Times

Nigeria university shops for successor to Vice Chancellor accused of N800 million fraud

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The Senate of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, on Thursday said it has started the process for the selection of a new Vice-Chancellor.

The incumbent Vice-Chancellor, Olusola Oyewole, is currently facing a criminal charge alongside two others for alleged misappropriation of N800 million belonging to the university.

The three including the chairman of the university’s governing council, Adeseye Ogunlewe, were granted bail after they were charged to court by the anti-graft EFCC.

But the Senate of the university stressed that the search for Mr. Oyewole’s successor had nothing to do with his trial, as his tenure will end in the first quarter of next year.

In fact, the body reaffirmed its confidence in Mr. Oyewole’s ability to continue to provide academic and administrative leadership to the university until his tenure runs out next year.

Announcing the resolution by the Senate in a statement made available to PREMIUM TIMES, the university’s spokesman, Emi Alawode, explained that the commencement of the selection process was in line with the laws governing the university.

According to Mr. Alawode, the Senate stated that it reserved comment on the allegations against some officers of the university, as the matter was before a court of competent jurisdiction.

The Senate also expressed satisfaction with all measures taken by the Governing Council and the university management to ensure peace, security and unfettered academic activities in the institution.

The body, however, said it had “deep concern over the emerging trend in Nigerian universities, where some persons or group of persons in the guise of unionism, acting alone or in concert with internal and external influences, seek to control the levers of administration and undermine the peace and harmony in the system”.

It thus re-affirmed its resolve to uphold the laws of the University and ensure discipline and good governance at all times.

In another development, the Governing Council of the University has approved the elevation of 23 teachers (Readers) to professors, while 285 other academic and non-teaching staff were also promoted.

According to the Vice-Chancellor, Mr. Oyewole, the promotion exercise was in recognition of the dedication and contribution of the affected staff to duty.

The embattled vice chancellor, who is also the President, Association of African Universities (AAU), expressed optimism that the exercise would further motivate the affected staff.

Vice Chancellor, who sacked whistleblowers, arrested for fraud.

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The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Olusola Oyewole, who suspended and later sacked three whistleblowers, has been arrested.

 

A source at the anti-graft commission, EFCC, told the News Agency of Nigeria, on Wednesday in Abuja that Mr. Oyewole was arrested for alleged fraud.

 

According to the source, the Vice Chancellor will be arraigned in court on Friday.

 

When contacted, the spokesman of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, declined comment on the issue.

 

“I don’t have that information yet,” he said.

 

Mr. Oyewole was invited by the commission about two months ago following allegations of financial fraud in a petition by some university staff, members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU.

 

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Lasun Somoye, Abdulsalaam Sobbor and Bimbo Bankole, were suspended by the university and later sacked by its governing council. The petitioners had written to the EFCC, accusing the vice chancellor and the institution’s pro-chancellor of fraud.

 

Eighteen other workers were also sacked by the university which claimed they were dismissed for stealing the institution’s property.

 

The sack has been condemned by a lot of Nigerians with a civic group, CSNAC asking the Nigeria Human Rights Commission to intervene.

FUNAAB Partners Police, DSS To Curb Security Challenges

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The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), which last Thursday declared a seven-day mid-semester break for the Second Semester of 2015/2016 academ session, says it has taken steps to protect the lives and property of members of staff and students.

Particularly, the school says it is partnering the state police command as well as the Department of State Services (DSS) in its bid to ensure that peace returns to the campus.

The management-ordered break was after a violent protest by students, which left five vehicles burnt, seven vandalised and a place of worship allegedly attacked. The protest was precipitated by the alleged insensitivity displayed by the police and the school’s management over incessant attack on students by hoodlums in the school’s hostels.

After the protest, where two policemen were allegedly injured, over 30 persons were arrested in connection with incident, with the state command saying that those found culpable would be prosecuted.

According to Head, Directorate of Public Relations (DPR) of the school, Emi’ Alawode, management of the school, noted with dismay, the violent unrest to protest incessant robbery attacks in hostels outside the university campus, which led to the disruption of public peace, wanton vandalisation and destruction of private and/or public property running into several millions of naira.

She said that the mid-semester break, would assist the university to provide additional security measures, and to further support initiatives of the federal and state governments towards the protection of their lives and property of members of the university community.

However, apart of the concerted efforts towards ensuring a secured environment for members of the university community, she informed, “FUNAAB has partnered with relevant security agencies to ensure safety of lives and property of staff and students living within the university environs, following armed robbery reports from some students residing in Isolu, a community situated outside the university campus,” the statement added.

“To this end, the University security team, in collaboration with the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) of Odeda and Obantoko areas, both in Abeokuta, often take turns, on daily basis, to patrol the university environs at night. The university management has also encouraged the various communities to embrace community policing and vigilante services, to support the efforts of the police and the DSS.

“It is important to note that students have also been cautioned to avoid attracting unnecessary attention to themselves, be alert, be vigilant about happenings in their surroundings and be free to contact the University Chief Security Officer (CSO), in case they notice any strange movement or occurrence around their vicinities,” she added.

#SaveFUNAAB: Students Of FUNAAB Decry Undue Treatment By School Authority, Police.

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Some four months ago, nefarious activities of armed robbers sky-rocketed in Abeokuta. The communities surrounding the Federal University of Agriculture were worst hit. Considering the student-dominated population of the residents, it is always a smooth operation that goes on unhindered despite the presence of a police post.

After series of efforts to seek the aid of the school authorities and also security agents attached to the community, the devastating response the students got was unfathomably shocking. The school authorities made it clear point blank to whoever cared to listen that they will not be responsible for the lives and properties of their students who stay off campus.

 

After this unfortunate and soul-wrenching response from the first point of call (School Authorities), the students moved on to appeal to the Police for protection against the dare-devil armed robbers which was also met with a dissapointing response which stated in clear terms that the affected community was not under their jurisdiction. So, if the two bodies saddled with the responsibilities of ensuring the safe day to day activities of students of FUNAAB and also indigenous residents can hands off them without empathy or any sense of responsibilities, who else do they turn to?

Since the students won’t wait to be attacked again, they decided to put their own safety in their hands. They constituted a vigilante association in conjunction with the community’s local vigilante group. After weeks of rotated vigilante activities between students and their host community members, the police joined in and gave support in ensuring people slept safely at night and somehow, things went on smoothly.

Weeks later, just when the students thought the nightmares were over, their darkest fears reemerged. This time, they came back reinforced. The sleepless nights were back again, the fear of darkness engulfed the whole vicinity as the armed robbers restarted their operations albeit with unreserved ruthlessness and impunity.

In what seemed like a last desperate and frustrated attempt at waking up the appropriate authorities to their responsibilities, the students embarked on a peaceful demonstrations outside the school compound.

Students of FUNAAB who had already written several letters to the Ogun State Police Commissioner, took to the streets to protest negligence on the part of the school authorities and Police.

In a sudden twist of events, the policemen who were on ground to forestall any outbreak of violence which may arise in the course of the peaceful protests decided to turn on the unarmed students. Live rounds and teargas canisters were shot sporadically to disperse the now angry students.

In the course of this unfolding event, a students was allegedly shot dead while several others were arrested and are presently in custody.

As soon as the news of the allegedly shot student got to other students, it became chaos as students marched out in annoyance and defiance to protest the death of their colleagues which resulted in the burning of public and private properties including cars. The Vice Chancellor’s church building was not spared as the angry mob vandalized the building.

So far, it has been a case of two warring factions with the students on one side and the school authorities on the other side. In the wake of the violent confrontation, one student was recorded dead while others are still in police custody. However, a few of those arrested have been bailed with as much as one hundred thousand Naira each while others who cannot afford the bail money are still in cells languishing.

Reports reaching Omojuwa.Com revealed that there has been a truce called by students to facilitate the release of their colleagues who are still being held in police custody.

“We are tired and helpless, we want the government to come to our aid. We want this issue to be resolved so that out colleagues who have been locked up for  while now, can go home“, said a student whose friend was arrested.

Another student, who also pleaded anonymity, also stated that; “We got angry because the police that was supposed to protect us were the ones shooting at us to the point of killing our friend. It was even when the news broke that the students got more angry and that aggravated the already tense situation. However, we call on the government to resolve the issue at hand and also wake up to it’s responsibility of protecting lives and properties of both students and non-students in the society.”