The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has described the University of Ilorin as a terrorist organisation.

Background:

• The institution had sacked the ASUU chairman in the school, Dr. Kayode Afolayan.
• Afolayan was allegedly sacked for exposing corrupt practices of the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdulganiyu Ambali.

ASUU’s reaction:

In a letter signed by chairman of the University of Ibadan chapter of ASUU, Dr. Ayodeji Omole, the lecturers said;

• Ambali suppressed legitimate union activities to keep his misdeeds a secret.
• The Vice-Chancellor also smuggled his wife into the university and promoted her without following due process.

The letter partly read, “Indeed, the university prides itself in its ability to kill off (members of) staff and students that are connected in any way to ASUU leadership. This hate crime on the part of the university is usually carried out under the guise of uninterrupted academic calendar. Yet, many universities have also maintained a stable academic calendar without destroying union members or their careers. To all intents and purposes, Unilorin has become a terrorist organisation as far as industrial relation is concerned.”

• The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission and other anti-corruption agencies have also refused to make public reports of their investigations on petitions against him.

“Equally worrisome is the seeming connivance of relevant authorities with Unilorin in its dastardly pursuit. For example, our union, since December 2016, had submitted petitions to the EFCC, ICPC and the CCB but until now results of ongoing investigations have not been made known to the public. Our union also wrote petitions to the Ministry of Education and the Visitor to the school but no concrete step has been taken. The silence by these relevant agencies and authorities casts serious doubt on the commitment of government in the anti-graft war.”

Azeez