Breaking! Rowdy Session As Court Sends Ex-OAU VC To Prison Over Alleged N1.4bn Fraud

There was a mild protest as the Federal High Court in Ede, Osun State, sent a former Vice Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Anthony Elujoba, to Ilesha prisons after the bail application was dismissed.

Premium Times reports that Justice David Oladimeji ruled that Prof. Elujoba be remanded till July 19 when the case will be brought for hearing. It was gathered that the former VC is standing trial on a seven-count charge of alleged corruption and abuse of office involving some N1.4 billion.

He is standing trial alongside the bursar of the university, Josephine Akeredolu. But workers of the university see Mr. Elujoba’s trial as “victimisation”. Two lecture-free days declared by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), in solidarity with Mr. Elujoba ended Tuesday July, 11.

On Tuesday, workers of the university protested the decision of the court to send the embattled professor to prison. The Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) locked down the court gate as the ruling was being handed. No one was allowed to leave the premises of the court at the time of this report.

The workers demanded the judge’s withdraw his ruling, and authorise the former vice chancellor be kept in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Students fear the latest disturbances may further affect their academic calendar. Has it was previously reported that Elujoba was dragged before an Osun state High Court, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged corruption.

One of the charges the EFCC brought against the former VC was in relation to the disbursement of over N1 billion to pay workers, Punch reports. However, workers of the university thronged the court premises to show support for Anthony Elujoba.