Activist Narrates How Unilag VC Connived With Police Officers to Deal With Protesters
In a statement that was gathered by Purpleworld, Femi Adeyeye narrates how Professor Rahman Bello connive with the commissioner of police, Fatai Owoseni to subject protesters to unending torture.
“They know we are speaking the truth and it is biting them very hard.
Those asking us to calm down; both genuine and fake people, for some correctness, do not have a clear picture of the injustice meted on us.
Where were they when an activist who is visually impaired, Lawrence was rusticated by the Senate for exercising his rights to protest peacefully? I could not stand the absurdity of the news and I mobilized activists that same night when the news broke. God has blessed me with a restive spirit. Unlike some activists, I hate long talks and unending meetings. We hit the streets the next day on a media rally.
Where were they when we were arrested at UNILAG; about six men pouncing on only me, framed, arraigned before a magistrate in kangaroo Oshodi mobile Court; a Court meant for traffic and special offenses? In their desperation to keep us behind bars for a long time, we were denied legal representation because we could not use our phones, and it was on a Saturday.
Where were they when the CSO of UNILAG (errand boy of the VC) connived with the officers in Panti where we were detained overnight, to make sure we were taken out of the streets for 6 weeks. He didn’t know I saw him the evening when he visited the Criminal Investigation Department. He was working on the orders of Prof Rahman Bello, the Vice-Chancellor at that time, and Prof. Ogundipe was DVC then.
The Prosecutor from Panti told the Magistrate that the charge against us was bailable but we should be denied bail because we are known to be trouble-makers. He looked straight into my eyes when he told the Magistrate to remand us in prison for 6 weeks. He has been briefed that it was exam period and the uprising on Campus was on a level that the students had told us that upon sighting us on campus on any exam day, they would tear their scripts and join the protest. Fatai Owoseni, the Commissioner of Police at that time was also in the know.
There was no “correctness” when Lawrence’s statement was removed and torn by the IPO and he was not taken to Court with us, so as not to whip up emotions when their secret acts of injustice would be blown open. While we were in prison, the blind activist stayed 2 more nights in Police custody under torturous conditions. Ogundipe was in all of these.
I have never been broken by any act of harassment or torture but I shedded tears that night when Lawrence was being beaten by the boys of the Panti cell President and I couldn’t do anything.
It took our grumbling that he is blind before he was left alone.
There was no political correctness or “due process” evangelism when my name was excluded from the list of those to be reinstated, when the Governor intervened due to the struggle. We later learnt that close to 15 students, including Lawrence and Ochuba were reinstated due to the outcry.
To those mouthing “due process”, you can continue. I am also an advocate of due process. Real due process. But if Ogundipe is to resume anywhere, it would be the EFCC cell.”
