LASU undergoing internal cleansing – Spokesman

Lagos State University

Authorities of the Lagos State University (LASU) says the institution is undergoing ‘internal cleansing’ in line with President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s change initiative.

LASU spokesman, Adekoya Martins, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos that recent dismissal and suspension cases were not attempts to attack any individual or group but to sanitise its system.

“It is important to note that about 80 per cent of the cases were pending even before the current vice chancellor came on board and there is no way such offenses can be swept under the carpet .

“The previous crises in LASU were probably sponsored by most of the offenders, so that the management did not have an opportunity to open their files and the law did not catch up with them,” he said.

Martins noted that relative peace recently enjoyed in the university permitted the management to look into the files and sanctioned offenders accordingly.

“It is not that the VC is probably willing and happy to dismiss staff but if people run foul of the law, they must also face the music, ” he said .

NAN reports that LASU Governing Council on Sept. 8, 2017 approved the sack of ASUU-LASU Chairman, Dr Isaac Oyewunmi, his deputy, Dr Adebowale Adeyemi- Suwenu and 15 others.

It also demoted two non-academic staff over what it called gross misconduct and malpractice.

According to the university official bulletin of Sept. 8, the decision to dismiss the workers was taken at the 115th Governing Council Meeting of the university.

Reacting, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Lagos Zonal Coordinator, Prof. Olusiji Sowande, said the dismissal was politicised and did not follow due process.

Sowande said the dismissal was planned effort by the management to silence the union leaders and truncate ASUU activities in LASU.

The University on Dec. 4 also suspended the Provost, LASU College of Medicine (LASUCOM), Ikeja, Prof. Babatunde Solagberu, effective Nov. 30.

LASU official bulletin obtained by NAN said the management approved that Solagberu be placed on immediate interdiction for three months with half salary.

It said Solagberu`s interdiction was connected with alleged several infractions against the rules and regulations of the university, bordering on financial improprieties and administrative misadventures.

Solagberu, in an interview with NAN, refused to comment on the matter, saying it would be unlawful to make any comment because the case was already in court.