Ekiti teachers urge DSS to release detained colleagues

Teachers of Secondary schools in Ekiti State have asked the Department of State Services (DSS) to immediately release the three teachers currently in its custody.

The DSS allegedly arrested the teachers last week at Olaoluwa Grammar School, Ado Ekiti, while making photocopies of their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).

ASUSS Chairman, Sola Adigun, told newsmen at the weekend that the continued detention of the teachers was not in the best interest of the state.

He said the detained colleagues are non-partisan and should not be intimidated by any security outfit.

The teachers, operating under the auspices of Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, also denied being sympathetic to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

He said: “The said statement, which was not signed by the faceless individuals for their obvious display of cowardice, has been transmitted in the social media.

“The publication, which contains names of some members of our noble union had tagged them as campaigning for Fayemi, against the interest of Governor Ayodele Fayose.

Adigun said the union would have chosen to ignore the satanic lie and deliberate attempt by the enemies.

He said allowing the rumor to continue to circulate could confuse the people, and pitch the teachers against some political actors in the state, who are in and out of government.

“We declare unequivocally, without any iota of contradiction that we, the ‘mentioned’ members of ASUSS, as individuals or group, have not met with any of the governorship candidates whatsoever.

“Without doubt, the meeting with the APC candidate on July 4 didn’t signpost its support for any candidate involved in the election.

He said as a responsible labour movement, the union had resolved to be open to all candidates in the state.

At the meeting with Fayemi, he added, the union urged him to prioritise education in the state, if he wins the governorship poll.

The ASSUS chairman added that he also drew Fayemi’s attention to the union’s grievances, which he described as heartbreaking.

He added that ASSUS further tasked the APC candidate on the need to make necessary amends, if given the opportunity to rule the state again.