The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) may be heading for a showdown with the management of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun State over the cultism allegation levelled against the Students’ Union Government (SUG) President of the institution, Adegboye Emmanuel Olatunji.
The apex student body yesterday declared that Olatunji, a HND II Banking and Finance student, was never a cult member but was framed by his enemies.
It, therefore, issued a 40-hour ultimatum for the polytechnic and police authorities to release the embattled union leader or face the wrath of students.
This was contained in a press statement signed by Comrade Bamgbose Tomiwa and Comrade Sodiya Abayomi, the Chairman and Public Relations Officer of NANS, Ogun Axis respectively.
It will be recalled that police, last Sunday, arrested Olatunji during a cult meeting held allegedly to initiate new members into his Black Axe group.
While another suspect, Olanrewaju Taiwo, was arrested with him, the polytechnic management immediately suspended the students’ leader pending the outcome of investigations.
However, Sunday Telegraph reports that the SUG President denied the cultism allegation when he was paraded by the police, saying he was hypnotized and framed by the police and members of a local vigilance group.
But yesterday, the NANS leadership in the state said after carrying out a detailed research and investigation, it discovered that the detained student leader was innocent.
The union claimed that Olatunji was accused of cultism days after which he “raised fundamental issues about the community and the school.”
It called for immediate postponement of the first semester examination of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, saying: “Nigerian students have resolved that examination will not take place if our President, Comrade Adegboye Emmanuel Olatunji, is not released.”
