FUNAAB shut down as SSANU protests

Academic and administrative activities were temporarily put on hold, on Monday, as hundreds of members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), shut down the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) in Ogun State.

The festering crisis rocking the university community took a new dimension when members of the union from the Western Zone barricaded all access roads leading into the university, to protest the sack of their members.

The university governing council had, last week, sacked 23 members of staff of the institution on various allegations such as stealing, absconding from duty, and wilful disrespect to constituted authority, among others.

The protest which started at about 6.30am caught many students and staff of the institution unawares as movement into the school was disrupted for the better part of the day.

Bonfires and vehicles were used in blocking Alabata Road, as the protesters chanting anti-management songs.

Security personnel including the men of the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were on ground to maintain peace and orderliness.

Addressing the protesters, the National Vice-President, Western zone, Alfred Jimoh, urged the governing council to recall their colleagues unconditionally.

Jimoh called on the Federal Government to probe the activities of the institution under the leadership of Professor Olusola Oyewole.

He wondered why his colleagues who were demanding for probity, accountability and transparency in the handling of the finances of the institution became the hunted.

“The Federal government should beam its searchlight on FUNNAB if truly and indeed they are sincere with the anti-corruption war,” he added.

He added that the action of the institution management should be condemned in its entirety by Nigerians of good conscience.