Kunle ADELABU
-Management opens library complex
The hope of hundred of LASPOTECH staff members and families to see the 39 union members arrested in the wee hours of Thursday regaining their freedom after being granted bails was dashed as letter of their release was unable to be gotten from the Head of Service (HOS).
The unionists were arraigned at the Ebute-Metta Magistrate Court over alleged conspiracy, breach of peace, unlawful assembly and threat of violence.
The Magistrate, in his ruling after the suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges, granted them bails with N50, 000 and two sureties each.
According some of the colleagues of the suspects, they were able to get the money and sureties for their bails but the Magistrate insisted on getting letter from the Office of the Head of Service of Lagos State before they could be released.
THE IMPACT also gathered that the union members have dropped petition letter to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education in that regard.
Speaking with our reporter, Soji Alagbe, one of the leader of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), stated that they have presented all the conditions for the release of the suspects but are yet to be release because the Magistrate insisted on getting letter to that effect from the HOS.
“We have provided all the demands for their bails but at a point, we were told that the Magistrate was not around.
“On his return, the Magistrate insisted that we must get a letter from the Head of Service asking for their release and we dashed down to Alausa Secretariat in that regard.
“On getting to Alausa, we made every effort to reach the HOS which were not successful. At first, we were told that he was not available but they later asked us to give them two hours to get the letter for us and we waited to no avail.
“We are all aware that Fridays are usually half day at work and we really don’t know if they will be released.
“We have been waiting since 1pm and this is past 4pm. Definitely, they want to keep them at Kirikiri till next week”, he alleged.
“In actual fact, we cannot reach the Magistrate again. His phone is switched off. We cannot see those that told us to give them two hours for the HOS’s letter.
“We are now leaving Alausa because from all indications, they want to keep our colleagues in detention for the weekend.
“We have dropped a petition at the Permanent Secretary’s office (Public Service Office) in that regard”, he stated.
Meanwhile, THE IMPACT gathered that the library complex, which has been sealed by the union since the renewed strike, has been opened by the Rector.
The library complex also serves as the administrative block for the institution and it houses the Rector, Registrar and other principal members of the institution’s offices.
When contacted, the institution’s Deputy Registrar (Information) and Public Relations Officer, Mr Lanre Kuye, promised to get back to our reporter.
