FUTA: Protesting workers assault journalists

WORKERS of the Federal University of Technology, Akure  (FUTA), who were demanding the removal of the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Adebiyi Daramola, on Friday, went on the rampage, assaulting journalists who visited the campus.

The workers who included members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) descended on the journalists accusing them of publishing the institution’s reaction to the allegations levelled against the Vice Chancellor in their reports.

The attack on the journalists was led by a leader of SSANU, who turned back newsmen and threatened them with a mob action if they failed to leave the school premises, saying, “we don’t need your coverage. We can fight for our cause without your coverage.”

He ordered the angry protesters who were in their hundreds to march out the journalists, emphasising that they had no right to interview the university management after stating their grievance with them.

It took the intervention of a police team deployed to the institution to restore peace and order at the scene of the protest  and save the journalists which included correspondents of Nigerian Tribune, Vanguard, Guardian, Punch, Nation and New Telegraph.

The workers had on Thursday, staged a peaceful protest demanding the removal of the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor  Daramola and the Bursar, Emmanuel Oresegun, over their invitation by the men of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The two principal officers were invited by the EFCC over a petition on abuse of office and misappropriation of funds, but were later released to the chagrin of the union members who demanded from the Federal government the removal of the VC pending the outcome of the EFCC investigation.