A student of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile Ife, from department of Computer Engineering, Bello Ibrahim O popularly known as Great Bello has narrated his near death ordeal on how he was wrongly accused, beaten and paraded at Ken Saro Wiwa Union Building on OAU campus for allegedly stealing.
In a statement sent to AMILOADED, Ibrahim wrote an article titled “RE: HOW I WAS WRONGLY ACCUSED, FORCEFULLY BEATEN AT KEN SARO WIWA UNION BUILDING AND PARADED FOR STEALING BY KNOWN GUN MEN OF GREAT IFE STUDENTS UNION AND MY NEAR-DEATH ORDEAL AS A VICTIM OF POLITICAL WITCH-HUNT MASTERMINDED BY ELECTORAL COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN.”
He wrote: “The first day of August, 2021 will forever be a day i can’t forget in my life till I take my last breath, I’ll always remember how strokes from a misled but furious mob landed on my bare skin as supervised by the Chairman, Electoral Committee(Ajayi Oluwafemi Sunday a.k.a CASTRO, Taiwo Ojuko Paul (TeePaul)- Notorious and Unratified Chief Security Officer and his henchmen.
“Before I delve fully into my personal account, let me quickly state that I am a graduating student of Computer Science and Engineering and during my over five(5) years stay on campus, I have never been accused of stealing anything before not even a matchstick.
“While I am not arguing that an absence of theft history is a plea of innocence, I believe every accused should be given a right to fair hearing before they are pronounced guilty or innocent. That said, Efem Castro, is not just the Chairman of the Electoral Chairman Great Ife Students’ Union. He used to be a close friend whom I had good rapport with though with sharp political & ideological differences. Little did I know the political difference would metarmophose into something bigger like a cult like attack under the disguise of union tradition.
“For the sake of the records, I am writing this to dispel the rumour that I was caught stealing. Firstly, I will never stoop low to steal a boxer and matress or other alledged items of non economic value, may the case never arise.
“Great Ife! The grievous & cult- like punishment melted on me by the Efem Castro & TeePaul led security committee was as a result of my position against the candidacy of the present Electoral Chairman due to his alliance with some violent group, if i don’t have any record of stealing from my part 1 to final year, would it be now that i will steal? Even if a sane person will steal, will it be Boxer and matress in Awolowo hall?
“On the first day of August, 2021, very early in the morning some part 1 students approached me in my room and alleged me of stealing boxer and matress, the first time i will hear this for the first time in my life and before i could give any response, they left. In a twinkle of an eye, not more than 2 minutes, I saw a crowd of part one students with members of students union security committee led by Castro himself approaching and before i could say a word, Castro told me they have come to arrest me. This got me surprised because there was no prior invitation despite that Castro and I use to chat on daily basis before the electoral brouhaha with different threats or the other. I couldn’t say anything but follow them peacefully without putting on clothes considering the numbers of students gathered around me with same motive. On getting to the students union building, the members of the security committee descend on me, beating me blue black. Without subject to any proper or open moderation, I was given 50 strokes of cane.
‘Under duress, I was coerced to admit to every allegation leveled againt me because i had no choice. I admitted to every Charge because i was near giving up the ghost under jungle justice.
“Before I go further, let me quickly highlight positions I’ve held as a student;
‘Assistant General Secretary, Nigerian Society of Engineers- Students’ Chapter OAU 2014/15 academic session.
Public Relations Officer, Technology and Engineering Students’ Association, OAU Chapter, 2015/16 academic session.
“Registrar, Great Ife Students’ Union Judicial Council, 2015/16 session
“Honorable Parliamentarian, Technology and Engineering Students’ Representative Council , 2017/18 academic session,
National Vice President, Nigerian University Engineering Students’ Association ( NUESA) National Body Abuja, 2018/19 academic session.
“For someone who has taken this positions without any scandalous report, it should raise a lot of questions to why such person would steal boxers and mattress. What do I need them for?
“My opposition against Efem Castro before he became the member of Electoral committee was the offence i committed that prompted them to make me the villain in their script. You will agree with me that there is Right to opposition in any Democratic system. Castro threatened to deal with me even after his emergence as the Chairman electoral commission stating to me clearly that it’s either i be for him or i be against him, I smile in return unknowing to me that doom is imminent.
“After I was paraded, I was still bundled out of my room later that same night to SUB to write a security undertaken that nothing would happen to the Security committee, Students that were gathered at the moderation and the electoral commission officers.
Who does that?
“I was asked to drop my phone and be locked up after the parade…
Until some progressive students intervened and I was eventually released.
“Greatest ife! I’m just recovering from the deadly blow after been discharged from the hospital last night. I feel i need to state my own side of the story so as to shed light to the real occurrence.
“Great ife, articulate ife! You shall know the truth and the Truth shall set you free. Seek for the fact before judging.
“I am seeking Legal consultations and I will also seek redress in a competent court of Law
and I’m also using this medium to warn bloggers and rumor media mongers to desist from tarnishing my image, I’ll also advise them to seek proper investigative report before publication.
“- Against the tradition of the Union during SMS beating, the security committee did nothing to protect myself from being recorded. A lot was written about me on blogs and most embarrassingly, the Security committee still referenced it in their release. I have felt nothing but shame because previous cases of actual crime have not been met with such a scale of punishment. More importantly, recording and publishing contents of SMS parades is always frowned upon because the ultimate essence is never to decimate the accused/suspect but to correct them appropriately. Sadly, my case was different.
– On this note, I call for an open moderation of my case under supervision of great ife students and democratically-chosen representatives that can stand as unbiased umpire and there set the record straight and administer justice in the court of public opinion.”
Bello Ibrahim O.
*Great _ Bello*
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