The Deputy Governor of Kwara State, Mr. Kayode Alabi has allegedly ordered members of staff of the Kwara State University, Malete to vacate the school’s official lodge, THE INFORMANT247 has gathered.
The lodge which is situated beside the State Government House, along Ahmadu Bello way houses the Vice Chancellor and some senior members of staff of the University quarters.
Aside the Vice-Chancellor, most of the workers who occupy the quarters are said to be expatriates with a little fraction of locals.
The deputy governor was said to have personally drove to the lodge on Friday, November 1st, and after inspecting the residence, dished out instructions that every occupants must vacate before Monday, November 4th.
He was quoted to have threatened to forcefully eject them with security personnel should they fail to heed to his instructions before the deadline.
Information gathered by THE INFORMANT247 further revealed that all explanations and pleas for him to rescind his decision proved abortive as he was said to have remained adamant on his stand.
“There were no ways we could have explained and pleaded than we did,” said one of the Varsity dons who witnessed the incidence.
According to another KWASU top source who pleaded anonymity, he told our correspondent that the deputy governor said he needed the residence for personal use.
“Atleast the deputy governor should have considered the expatriates living there. We all saw what happened when some Turkish Nationals were kidnapped in Kwara North the some months back. The government just wants to expose these innocent people to unnecessary risks. And they have only come to help us, to impact our community. I see no reason we should make life unbearable for them,” the source told our correspondent.
When contacted, the chairman of the international community in the Institution, Willys Santos confirmed the incident.
Santos said, “I joined KWASU about 7 years ago, I do stay at the lodge, and there was an agreement with the University as I pay for my rent. So last Saturday, one of the officers from works department apprised me that the deputy governor was at the lodge a night before, instructing that they should vacate the lodge by Sunday (two days after his visit) that he is going to bring the police if that was needed. What they want is for us to exit the place as soon as possible.
“There was no notice and the government didn’t give any deadline, he came on Friday and said by today (Monday), they should leave the place. Though currently, I don’t know what is happening at the lodge because I am not around, but I’ll know when I am back.”
Asked if he suggested alternatives for them, he replied in the negative,
“Absolutely no alternative was provided, he replied emphatically.
However, the Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Bunmi Adedoyin denied the allegation, “there was nothing of such,” he said.
Howbeit, Some official drivers of the institution also confirmed the authenticity of the incident to our correspondent, disclosing that they were as well instructed to remove the school’s vehicles from the quarters.