Dr Oladele Alhassan Ogunleye, a former registrar of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, through his lawyer, Barr. Kanmi Ajibola, has written to the governing council of the Polytechnic demanding for immediate interdiction of the Rector, Dr John Taiwo Adekolawole.
In a letter written to the council, a copy which was obtained by our correspondent stated that Dr Adekolawole should be immediately interdicted.
Recall that the former registrar was arrested in connection with an attempt to assassinate three people in the Polytechnic community. Namely; the Rector, Dr. Taiwo John Adekolawole, Dr Adie Olofu Romanus, Medical Director & Mr Elkanah Adeleke Aruwajoye, Deputy Registrar and Unlawful possession of pump action Gun.
After a thorough investigation by the police, the security men exonerated him having found out the allegation to be false allegation.
According to Ogunleye, he said he suspects the Rector to be the mastermind of the frame up from the onset, hence his (Adekolawole) interdiction from the institution is necessary so as to allow for unfettered and thorough investigation, because the rector who is currently on bail in respect of the case has become an interest party.
Part of the letter reads;
REQUEST FOR INTERDICTION OF THE RECTOR DR. JOHN TAIWO ADEKOLAWOLE EDAOGBOGUN
We are the solicitors to Dr. Ogunleye Oladele Alhassan, otherwise in the context of this letter referred to as OUR CLIENT and on whose instruction this letter is written.
Our Client was the Registrar of the Federal Polytechnic Ede between 1st April, 2010 to 31st March, 2020. The submission is further to the decision of the 5th Governing Council at its meeting held between 5th and 6th August, 2019 which our client equally reported to you vide a letter dated 18th June, 2021 and you graciously interacted with our client on the 29th June, 2021.
The painful ordeal of our client began in the early hours of 2nd July, 2019 when the operatives of the defunct F-SARS arrested him vide a warrant of arrest obtained from Igbosere Magistrate Court Lagos. The warrant of arrest which was handed to our client at Dada Estate Police Station Osogbo contained two
Allegations;
i. Attempt to assassinate three persons, that is:
(a) Dr. John Taiwo Adekolawole Edaogbogun (Rector)
(b) Dr. Adie Olofu Romanus (Medical Director)
(c) Elkanah Adeleke Aruwajoye (Deputy Registrar)
II. Unlawful possession of Pump-action gun.
Our client was thereafter taken to Adeniji Adele Central Police Station Lagos. In Lagos an unknown person confronted our client with the allegation that our client gave him a gun to assassinate three persons, he also tendered the pictures of two of the three persons which he claimed our client gave him. The police team brought our client back to Ede on the 4 July, 2019 where they took statement from the concerned officers of the polytechnic, and was granted bail same day.
The police invited our client for further interrogation on the 21 August 2019 and was taken to Alagbon on the 11 September 2019 where he was made to undergo fingerprint examination.
The allegations which stigmatized our client and prevented him from securing sabbatical leave and also frustrated his efforts of securing political appointment. Our client thereafter instructed us to request for the report of the police investigation at Adeniji Police station in Lagos. The letter was submitted on the 26th August, 2020. After due diligent investigation the police report which cleared our client was eventually issued to us.
Determined to pursue the case to its logical conclusion, because of the future implications, as our client was a victim of similar frame up in 2009. He therefore instructed us to write a petition to the Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone XI, Osogbo, with the view to arresting and prosecuting his accuser who gave his name to the police at Adeniji police station as Ifamoroti Ogunsakin of No 7, Okeyo Street Ejigbo Osun State who was not known at the given address when the police went there to effect his arrest.
The Rector whom our client had suspected to be the mastermind of the frame up from the onset was invited by the police on the 21 May 2021 along with the two officers our client was alleged of attempting to assassinate. At the interactive meeting with the Deputy Commissioner of Police at Zone Xl, Osogbo, the Rector made very useful statement. The Rector confirmed that he specifically mentioned the attempt of our client to assassinate him to the Rectors of Yaba College of Technology and Federal Polytechnic llaro on one hand and reported same to array of Rectors at the National Board for technical Education (NBTE) Liason office in Abuja in November 2019.
By stroke of luck the accuser of our client (Ifamoroti Ogunsakin) was arrested on the 9th November 2021, where he gave his real name as Rotimi Adekunle Orowole and was charge to court on 10th November 2021 accordingly.
OUR PRAYERS
Considering the fact that illegal proliferation of arms, banditry, criminality, and general insecurity has become a serious national challenge, the council is requested to assist the police to carry out unfettered prosecution of the case in the public/national interest. To this end, the council is requested;
To place the rector on interdiction with immediate effect, this is in conformity with PSR 030404. This measure will allow for unfettered and thorough prosecution, because the rector who is currently on bail in respect of the case has become an interest party. Interdiction of the Rector becomes necessary as Exhibits and documents to use in the prosecution of the case in court are domiciled in the polytechnic Release of documents in the polytechnic for whatever purpose is subject to the approval of the Rector.
It is therefore, humanly impossible for the Rector to approve release of documents that will be used against him in a criminal case.
This become more pronounced as the Rector is the lead suspect in frame up of our client and will be arraigned along other suspects.
Arising from the above, the rector (Dr. John Taiwo Adekolawole Edaogbogun) attempted to suppress the detailed submission of the report to your office (chairman Governing Council) dated 18th-June 2021, but unknown to the rector our client copied elected internal members of the Governing Council, who had to intervene and gave our client the phone number of the Governing Council Chairman Furthermore, on the instruction of our client we demanded for certified copies of a document on the 13th July 2021, to enable us commence prosecution of the Rector (Dr. John Taiwo Kolawole Edaogbogun), it is painful that till this moment our request has not been granted neither was our letter acknowledged.
Hence, the Rector deliberately took undue advantage of his office and stalled the course of justice on a matter of serious concern.
Laws are made for the orderliness and wellbeing of the society and everyone is under the law. Interdiction of the rector whose office has no immunity at this point is in tandem with very known civil service law and convention, more so the case is now in court.
The Rector as the symbol of polytechnic should always be above board and not in any way be associated with criminally inclined allegation currently ravaging and undermining national security. The Rector from his submission to the police on the 21st May, 2021 knew much about the frame up of our client. Therefore, in order to protect the integrity and sanctity of the polytechnic, the council is statutorily empowered to protect the corporate image of the polytechnic and first step in this direction is to interdict the Rector accordingly.
As a result of the vigilance of our client, our client detected being trailed by two people on a motorcycle in Osogbo on the 27th May, 2021 barely one week after the Rector was invited by the police in respect of the case at hand. Our client promptly reported the case to the Commissioner of Police, Osun State Command on the same day.
Our client wishes to appeal to the council to show interest in the source of the gun which is at Adeniji Adele police station, Lagos. To this end it will not be ethical for the Rector who is a suspect and on bail to be shielded from prosecution on a case of national concern.
Finally, it is our prayer that the council as the representative of the government will support the ongoing court action and ensure that perpetrators of this heinous and dastardly act against a responsible citizen and the nation are brought to justice, in which the Rector (Dr. John Taiwo Kolawole Edaogbogun) the alleged mastermind of the frame up of our client and he is using his position to frustrate the course of justice.
We are convinced beyond reasonable doubt that with the support of every one the outcome of the ongoing judicial action will be mind boggling. Most importantly it will give government insight and lead into the chain of illegal arms proliferation, banditry and insurgency in the country which is a major concern of any responsible Nigerian.
Yours faithfully,
Kanmi Ajibola Esq.