The Governing Council of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, has sacked three whistleblowers who spearheaded a petition to the anti-graft agency, EFCC, against the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Olusola Oyewole.
The petitioners accused Mr. Oyewole of misappropriation of funds and abuse of office.
The council also dismissed another 18 staff of the institution.
The decisions were reached at the end of a meeting presided over by the chairman of the council, Adeseye Ogunlewe, late Thursday in Abeokuta.
The affected whistle blowers are Lasun Somoye, Abdulsalaam Sobbor and Bimbo Bankole., all members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU.
PREMIUM TIMES had reported how, based on the staff’s petition, the vice chancellor, Mr. Ogunlewe and the bursar were quizzed by the EFCC.
While the allegations were still being investigated, the vice-chancellor suspended the three petitioners indefinitely. On Thursday, the staff were dismissed.
Thursday’s governing council meeting was said to have been attended by all members of the council, except the representative of the Federal Ministry of Education.
When contacted, Head, Directorate of Public Relation of the university, Emi Alawode, confirmed that there was a meeting of the council on Thursday.
She declined to disclose the details and outcome of the meeting.
However, in reaction to the development, Friday, SSANU wrote a letter titled, “Repression of Staff For Reporting Corruption Cases to EFCC’ to President Muhammadu Buhari.
The union accused the university management of victimising whistleblowers rather than address the allegations raised.
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This is testament and proof that graft and corruption is still very alive in Nigeria and many will continue this evil until harsh punitive consequences are put in place to drive fear into people’s hearts.
The time has come in this country for our NASS to make a law that protects whistle blowers. It should also compel the investigative bodies not to reveal the identities of whistle blowers. Were these laws in place, the ugly incident whereby the whistle blowers were dismissed by Olusola Oyewola would not have happened. His action is a reprisal attack on the whistle blowers for being patriotic in reporting fraudulent activities in their domain. At worst, Olusola Oyewole should have waited till the end of the investigation before taking such action. His action is suspect in the sense that he may be hiding something he would not want the dismissed staff reveal to the investigators.