UniOsun invasion: Panel concludes investigation, submits report

The panel constituted by the management of the Osun State University, UNIOSUN, to investigate the invasion of its Ipetu-Ijesa campus by men of the Nigerian Air Force, on Tuesday, May 23, has concluded its work.

PREMIUM TIMES checks on Thursday indicated that the panel headed by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Janet Olaitan, submitted its report to the school’s management for further action.

The six-member panel was inaugurated to ascertain the root cause of the invasion and make recommendations to forestall a reoccurrence.

The Air Force personnel invaded the campus with armoured vehicles, and manhandled both staff and students alike.

Several persons were severely injured, while others were traumatised.

The NAF authorities, which had disowned the activities of the officers, instituted its own probe panel, vowing to deal decisively with those involved in the attack.

Although, details of the university panel’s report are yet to be disclosed, PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the panel recommended that the campus be relocated from Ipetu Ijesa if NAF’s Safety Institute continues to endanger the lives of staff and students.

A source told PREMIUM TIMES that it was the thinking of the management that the campus be relocated should there be any reason to believe that the two institutions would not live together harmoniously.

“But the commandant is seriously appealing to the school not to relocate the campus, with the assurance that everything will be done to bring the culprits to book,” the source said.

When contacted, the Dean of Students Affairs, Adebimpe Adigun, who is also a member of the panel, confirmed that the report had been submitted to the management which is currently considering its recommendations.

She declined to disclose the content of the report saying that can only be done after a final decision is taken by the management.

“The panel was mandated to investigate the matter and not to give judgment,” she said.

“The panel was set up to work for peace between the two institutions in Ipetu- Ijesa.”