Ede Poly converts students’ expulsion to suspension

The Governing Council of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun, has converted the expulsion of 27 students of the institution to suspension for the 2023/2024 academic session.

The council also pardoned four students who were earlier suspended by the polytechnic management.

The management had on July 27 expelled 27 students and suspended eight others over their roles in the May 9 violent protest in the institution.

Some students had protested the arrest of their colleagues by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Owode, a community near the institution.

During the protest, the polytechnic staff club was attacked and several vehicles were damaged by the students.

However, the governing council at its inaugural sitting on August 21 set up an ad hoc committee to look into the circumstances that led to the expulsion and suspension of the students.

The council’s Chairman, Prof. Taiwo Olaiya, who addressed journalists at a media briefing on Friday, said the affected students were pardoned based on the recommendations of the ad hoc committee.

He added that the earlier ban placed on students’ union in the school had also been lifted.

The chairman said the school management had been directed to constitute faculty representatives who would manage the affairs of the union till the end of the current semester.

READ ALSO: ASUP passes ‘vote of no confidence’ on Ede Poly Rector

Olaiya also said that the council also ratified the recommendation of the committee which mandated all the students of the institution to pay N10,000 damages to serve as a deterrent.

He said: “The council ratified the recommendation of the committee, and the resolution is that the expulsion of the 27 students has been converted into suspension for the 2023/2024 academic session.

“For those who were earlier suspended, they have been fully pardoned with a warning not to involve themselves in such acts again.

“Also, the council has lifted the ban placed on student union activities in the institution following the protest.

“The polytechnic management has been directed to constitute a body of the faculty representatives that will hold forth, the union position between now and the end of the semester.”

“Finally, all students of the institution are to pay N10,000 each as damages to serve as a deterrent against such ugly incidents in the future.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now