DSS storm Ekiti school, arrest staff over PVCs

*As Ekiti teachers ordered to submit their PVCs

*One to face panel for failing to submit

Meanwhile, a teacher at Aaye Oja Grammar School in Moba local government area has been summoned by the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) for allegedly refusing to submit her PVC.

Some public secondary school officials in Ekiti were Tuesday arrested by operatives of Department of State Services (DSS) for allegedly collecting Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from teachers.

The arrest was made at the popular Ola Oluwa Muslim Grammar School in Ado Ekiti, by operatives of DSS, who were believed to be acting on a tip-off.  The operatives stormed the school around 9.00 am Tuesday.

It was gathered that the security men arrested one Mrs Olagbemi, Secretary to the Principal and one Mrs. Ogunrinde, Office Assistant to the Principal, while the Principal, Mr. Sunmonu Olaoye, was not available at the time of the arrest.

The arrests were made after the security agency had launched a two-day manhunt for politicians and their agents who were collecting PVCs from civil servants, teachers and other eligible voters.

When contacted, the police spokesman, Caleb Ikechukwu said he has not been briefed on the arrest. He promised to get back to our reporter when briefed on the matter. He did not get back to our reporter at press time.

Narrating the incident, the principal of the school, Sunmonu Olaoye, said the masked operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) stormed his school in Gestapo style and whisked some of his staff away.

Olaoye said the DSS agents came in Hilux vehicles and right from the gate of the school, started harassing people as if they were on a war mission.

According to him, “The DSS operatives were in black uniforms and also wore black masks and headed for my office. I wasn’t in the office but I was within the premises to monitor ongoing third term examinations. Some of my staff members were in my office making photocopies of their documents including their PVCs.

“I allowed them to make use of the school’s facilities because I don’t want anything to disrupt the ongoing examinations. The DSS people just swooped on the teachers, seized their documents including their PVCs and took away two members of staff. They also locked up my office and denied us access to examination materials we were to give to our students.

“I don’t know when making photocopies of documents including PVCs became an offence. One of the operatives even called my number saying I must report in their office within an hour or I would be treated as a common criminal. We have 123 teachers in the school and the people have resolved on who they will vote for during the poll regardless of intimidation and harassment.”

Olaoye added that those arrested must be released since they committed no offence and their documents including their PVCs returned to them.

“We are in a democracy and people reserve the right to vote the candidate of their choice. Harassing or intimidating people is not a democratic practice,” he added.

Recall that Governor Ayodele Fayose had earlier told participants at the Town Hall Meeting organised by the Nigeria Civil Society Situation room on the coming poll that former Aide-de-Camp to Governor Kayode Fayemi, Adeyemi Ajayi and his former Chief Security Officer, Hakeem Abiola, were in the state to compromise the security situation in the state in favour of Fayemi and the All Progressives Congress.

Meanwhile, a teacher at Aaye Oja Grammar School in Moba local government area has been summoned by the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) for allegedly refusing to submit her PVC.

The woman (name withheld) was invited to face a panel on why she reportedly refused to submit her PVC as directed by the TSC authorities. The letter summoning her to face panel ordered her to appear at TSC Chairman’s Office at 9.00 am on Tuesday.

The letter reads: “I am directed by Chairman, TSC to invite you for a chat tomorrow, 3rd July, 2018 at Chairman’s Office by 9.00 am.

“Kindly treat as urgent please.” The letter was signed by one Akande J. on behalf of the TSC chairman.