No fewer than three students of the Ogun State Institute of Technology, Igbesa, are under trial for treason, abuse of office and gross misconduct. 

Student activists, Clement Olatoye, Anu Atere and Fagbemi Kehinde are standing trial before the school’s disciplinary panel. They were summoned before the panel for a secret trial which began on March 22.

Messrs Atere and Olatoye, in a letter signed by the secretary of the Students Disciplinary Council (DSC), Titilayo Awolumate, are billed to appear on March 29.

“On behalf of the management of this great institution, the above committee hereby invites you to appear before her with regards to your action on the issue of treason, abuse of office, gross misconduct, indiscipline,unlawful act and unruly behaviour,” the letter read. 

Peoples Gazette reached out to the school’s Directorate of Student Affairs (DSA). The dean, Sulaimon Aminu, said he could not comment on a matter “currently being tried.” 

When further pressed, the dean whose office was hosting the trial, said he could not offer any more disclosure, asking that the rector be contacted. 

“You should speak to the registrar or the acting rector, they are the ones who can give you accurate information,” he said.

While disciplinary actions against a student fall in the purview of the institution, legal adviser to the Students Union of the institution, Festus Ogun, was taken aback at the charge of treason, considering that such capital offence falls within the jurisdiction of a competent court of law upon whose ruling the school will take further administrative action.  

Mr Ogun told The Gazette that the matter was out of jurisdiction for the school to try and even out of place for the school to allege.

“I consider the issue of treason out of the jurisdiction of the school, moreso there are no facts to support these brazen allegations. I am sincerely concerned about the legality of the whole process. It shouldn’t have arisen in the first place. We will, however, reach out to the school management to see how the issues can be amicably resolved. I’m confident the school will listen to us and the matter will be put to rest”, he added. 

Several of Mr Olatoye’s colleagues, including the Student Union’s president, Michael Soaga, have also been invited before the panel on a series of allegations, The Gazette learned. 

Messrs Soaga and Olatoye have been at the forefront of protesting incessant security breaches which put lives and properties of students at risk on the campus.

They have also recently called on the school management to address the continuing risk of violent clashes between the indigenes and student population due to unchecked aggression and violence of the indigenes against the student community.