There was a mild drama at the Federal high court in Ede yesterday as workers and students of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) force the judge,Oladimeji David to reverse his earlier order that OAU’s ex acting vice chancellor,Prof. Anthony Elujoba should be kept in Ilesha prison.
This reversal came after workers and students of the school protested the ruling and locked down the court preventing the Judge and others from leaving the court premises.
This continued until the Judge ordered that the former VC should be sent to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) custody as demanded by the protesting workers and students.
It also rescheduled the case from July 19 to July 14.
Members of the Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) were more vocal as one of its members broke an egg on the court’s exit to restrict exit of the judge and others in court when they heard that the Ex VC should be kept at Ilesha Prison.
Also in a fit of anger at the perceived injustice,some students and OAU workers broke the court’s gate to forcefully remove Prof. Elujoba from the scene, but he refused such saying ‘he would not go against the court order’.
Armed policemen were later brought in to salvage the situation but couldn’t achieve anything as the workers and students held their ground.
The protest lasted hours until the judge recanted and gave another verdict.
Elujoba and the university’s bursar,Mrs Josephine Akeredolu are accused of misappropriation of N1.4 billion.
The workers and students are claiming that Prof Elujoba is innocent of the charges and is a victim of circumstances while calling on the authorities to probe the tenure of Prof Bamitale Omole, a former VC of the school.
