Protesters stormed the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja on Thursday, demanding the suspension of Professor Abayomi Fasina as the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE).
Carrying placards with various inscriptions such as “Ekiti deserves better”, “Protect our women”, among others, the protesters argued that the VC cannot be in the office while being probed for sexual harassment.
Speaking to journalists after submitting a petition to the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, leader of the protesters under the aegis of Coalition of Civil Society Organisations Against Corruption, Victor Adetola, said suspending the VC would give room for thorough investigations into the matter.
“We have looked at the developing story that has been going on in that university and as an organisation that is fronting for the welfare of Nigerian students and the community or the educational community generally.
“The issue will be festering if there is no thorough investigations, and we need that place to be sanitised. Honestly, currently there is a disciplinary investigation that is going on that was first given a three-week ultimatum.
“After that, they requested for another three weeks ultimatum, even inclusive of the Governing Council. And for the past six months, nothing has been done. We see that a lot of undiagnosed, a lot of corruption has been festering.
“In fact, one of the most critical issues that is happening is the sexual harassment that has happened to one of the married assistant directors in that school.
“Specifically, it’s necessary that the leader of the university step down first, or the governing council make him to relieve that position first so that independent investigation can be carried out on all the petitions that we have written,” Adetola said.
The embattled VC of the 13-year-old institution has been under investigations over allegations made in a leaked voice note regarding sexual harassment case by one of his married subordinates.
