By Gabriel Dike, Lagos
The two-month-old crisis rocking the Federal College of Education Technical (FCET), Akoka, took a new twist as operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) arrested one of the leaders of the Concerned Staff group.
Augustine Nwachukwu, one of the leaders of Concerned Staff, told the *Daily Sun* that DSS operatives stormed the official quarters of a Deputy Registrar, Mr Chris Olamiju, at 3:00 am and arrested him.
According to Nwachukwu, the armed security personnel broke through the iron gate and door, whisking Olamiju away in the presence of his wife and children without explanation.
The *Daily Sun* gathered that DSS operatives broke through Olamiju’s kitchen to gain access to his house, assaulting him before taking him away. A bullet fired during the incident was later found in another senior staff member’s quarters. The operatives ransacked Olamiju’s house, taking away personal belongings, including phones, documents, and laptops.
Since May 2024, FCET Akoka workers have protested on campus, demanding the removal of Provost Dr Ademola Azeez. They claim his tenure ended two months ago and are calling for the Federal Government to appoint an acting provost.
Nwachukwu, who is the chairman of the Senior Staff Union of Colleges of Education (SSUCOEN), disclosed that the DSS operatives fired shots before forcibly taking away the deputy registrar.
Addressing the workers, Nwachukwu told them that lawyers were working to secure Olamiju’s release from DSS custody. He added that the Nigeria Labour Congress leadership had been informed of the arrest.
The SSUCOEN chairman alleged that Provost Azeez orchestrated Olamiju’s arrest to instigate a college closure. “He wants the college closed, and we will not give him the opportunity. Let us not fall into his trap and let us remain calm,” he urged the workers. “He is trying to provoke us. Let us not give him the chance. We will let the world know what happened early this morning.”
Dr Lawal Ishola, the acting chairman of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), confirmed Olamiju’s arrest by DSS operatives early Thursday morning. He appealed for calm among staff, stating that the Governing Council Chairman, Dr Olatunde Adeniyi, had been informed of the situation. Ishola urged aggrieved workers to refrain from confronting the provost, allowing the governing council and their lawyers to handle the situation.
Union leaders sent a distress message to members about Olamiju’s arrest around 3:48 am. Many gathered at his official residence, finding his wife and children traumatised.
The message, titled “SOS on the Distress Message of Thursday, 11th July 2024, on DSS Invasion of FCET Akoka Senior Staff Quarters,” read:
“A very disturbing report was sent out around 3:00 am today, Thursday, 11th July 2024, that Mr Chris Olamiju, a deputy registrar and one of the prominent leaders of the protest actions, was violently brutalised and abducted from his residence at FCET, Akoka Senior Staff Quarters, Yaba, Lagos, in a gestapo-styled operation by operatives of DSS.
“The wife, children, and other family members of Mr Chris Olamiju were assaulted during the dastardly invasion. The documents, phones, laptops, etc. of Mr Chris Olamiju were carted away, and FCET Akoka Senior Staff Quarters was thrown into pandemonium.
“We hereby call on the DG of DSS and well-meaning Nigerians to intervene and ensure the immediate and unconditional release of Mr Chris Olamiju. Failure to heed this clarion call will lead to workers of FCET Akoka embarking on full-blown strike actions, which may spread to other Federal and State Colleges of Education in Nigeria.”
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