THE Academic Staff Union of Universities, Ekiti State University chapter, on Monday, May 18, 2015, protested against the incessant kidnap of some of its members . The institution’s dons marched round the streets of Ado Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti State, to protest the kidnap of its members by unknown gunmen in the state.

The protest which started at the gate of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) took them to the Ewi’s Palace where they were addressed by Oba Rufus Adejugbe, Ewi of Ado Ekiti, and members of his council; and terminated at the Governor’s Office where they were received by the Deputy Governor, Kolapo Olusola. .

The protesting EKSU teachers, who gave a five-day ultimatum to the state government to secure the release of their colleagues from the kidnappers’ den , vowed to go on an indefinite strike if their call was not heeded.

According to them, five of their colleagues were kidnapped at various locations in the state within two weeks out of which two had been freed to go and look for N210m ransom for the release of the others.

The placard-carrying protesters made up of ASUU members from Ekiti State University (EKSU) and Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, who moved round the town, drawing the attention of the public to seizure of its members.

Some of their placards read: “ASUU Demands Unconditional Release of Our Members,” “Governor Fayose, We Are Not Safe Please,” “Kidnapping is a Crime Against Humanity,” “Ensure Safety of Lives and Property in Ekiti State,” “Enough of Kidnapping in Ekiti State,” and “Governor Fayose, Please Save our Souls,” among others.

The protest was led by EKSU ASUU Chairman, Prof. Olufayo Olu-Olu, OAU ASUU Chairman, Dr. Caleb Aborisade and Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) ASUU Chairman, Dr. Bola Oniya.

An ASUU member at EKSU, Dr. Folashade Alade, was one of the three women kidnapped last Friday along Ifisin-Igbole Road while on their way to a wedding ceremony.

ASUU members still in captivity are Dr. Alade, Dr. Kikelomo Adegun both of EKSU and Dr. Femi Omisore of OAU. Dr Omisore was kidnapped penultimate Sunday at OAU gate, where his driver was killed immediately while his car was also burnt down.

Offering explanation on the protest, Prof. Olu-Olu condemned the kidnappers’ clampdown on university lecturers and medical workers, saying the situation should not be allowed to continue.

He expressed the fear that the state was gradually sliding into anarchy, adding that varsity teachers who are being owed three months salaries by state government cannot raise N210 million to pay ransom on three dons in captivity.

Olu-Olu said, “This is the same way Boko Haram started in the North. It started like a child’s play but today, a visit to the North would show the level of callousness and damage the sect has done to the system.


Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase
“On this premise, the government must act fast and stop this nonsense.

“These kidnappers erroneously think our members are rich; but they do not know that we have not received salaries in EKSU since March, 2015. Three of our members are still being held and they are demanding for N70m on each of them.

“Our fear is that, immediately these people realise that we are not rich, they may decide to waste those that they are still holding.

“We are therefore pleading with Governor (Ayodele) Fayose to act fast because it seems the police and the DSS have no clue to how the victims can be saved.”

The deputy governor told the protesters that Fayose had gone to Abuja to meet the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, over the development.

He engaged them in an open prayer for the release of those still being held by the kidnappers.

In his words, “It is very unfortunate that this is happening at this critical time. This issue is not whether those that were kidnapped were rich or poor, kidnapping is a crime to a society. This singular act is capable of scaring away investors from Ekiti State.

“Fayose’s government has written to the IG to intervene in this matter. Mr. Governor himself has gone to Abuja to meet him personally to discuss this issue.

“We appeal to you not to withdraw your services because such may heighten the tension that had already mounted. But all we need now is for all of us to turn ourselves into security experts by extracting every useful information that we can give to the security agencies to be able to arrest the situation.”

After the protest, Fayose’s Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, said that Arase had promised to deploy a special team in Ekiti and Kogi states within the next 48 hours to curb kidnappings in the two states.

Source: http://ivorytowerdigest.com/eksu-dons-protest-the-incessant-kidnapping-of-members-gave-governor-5-day-ultimatum/