Tension has gripped the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) following the detention of the Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Comrade Faleye Benjamin, and four other executive members of the union after honouring a police invitation on Monday.
The detained officials — Comrades Ademola Mutiu, Oyelude Yekeen, Aluko Ayomikun, and Nwokeke Barnabas — were reportedly held at the Police Headquarters in Ado-Ekiti after responding to an invitation believed to have been triggered by a petition allegedly written by the university’s Chief Security Officer (CSO) at the instance of the suspended Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abayomi Fasina.
Multiple sources within the university confirmed that the detention was part of what they described as “a deliberate plot to silence vocal union members and instil fear in the campus community.”
A source, who asked not to be named for fear of victimisation, said: “the suspended Vice-Chancellor is using the Chief Security Officer to persecute union leaders who have consistently resisted his excesses. This latest detention is intimidation taken too far.”
In a statement released shortly after the incident, SSANU FUOYE condemned the arrest, describing it as “deeply concerning and unacceptable.”
The statement read in part: “this action is a direct attack on unionism, workers’ rights, and the freedom of association guaranteed under the Nigerian Constitution and labour laws. The university community and the general public are hereby placed on notice that should anything untoward happen to our detained members, the University Management, led by the Vice-Chancellor, shall be held fully liable.”
The union vowed to continue its struggle through “peaceful and lawful engagement in pursuit of justice, fairness, and protection of members’ rights.”
The detention comes barely a week after fresh controversy erupted in FUOYE, following reports that the suspended Vice-Chancellor allegedly mobilised “fake students” to disrupt a staff meeting convened by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, on October 14.
According to eyewitnesses, the meeting — held at the 1,000 Capacity Auditorium, Phase II — descended into chaos when individuals purported to be students launched attacks on some staff members.
“We were shocked to see Prof. Fasina at that meeting despite his suspension,” one staff member told PLATFORM TIMES. “It’s an open secret that the Council Chairman has been working to reinstate him against the will of the staff.”
Another source accused the embattled Vice-Chancellor of employing “hooligans and rusticated students from nearby universities to harass, molest, and threaten” legitimate university workers.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must save FUOYE from this descending crisis. What is happening here is beyond a mere internal misunderstanding — it’s a systematic destruction of the institution’s integrity,” the source appealed.
A circular earlier issued by the Registrar and Secretary to Council, Mufutau A. Ibrahim, with reference number FUOYE/REG/CAD/025/Vol.1/125, confirmed that the October 14 meeting was officially called at the directive of Senator Ndoma-Egba.
Meanwhile, anxiety continues to mount on campus as staff and students express fears that the latest arrests could worsen the already volatile situation.
At the time of filing this report, neither the Police Public Relations Officer in Ekiti State nor the university management had issued an official statement on the detention.
However, SSANU has vowed not to back down, insisting that “no amount of intimidation will silence the truth.”
“Our members are only demanding justice and accountability. We will not be cowed by threats or unlawful arrests,” the statement added.
The unfolding crisis, observers say, signals deeper institutional instability at FUOYE — one that may soon demand federal intervention to prevent a full-blown breakdown of order on campus.
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