The Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun has been battling with internal crisis since the calling off a four month strike embarked upon by the staff of the institution along with their colleagues in other higher institutions of learning owned by Osun State government over non-payment of salary.

Shortly after the calling off of the strike, most of the staff, especially the leaders of the staff union in the college have been facing different forms of victimization because of the roles they played in the industrial action.

The latest of such victimization was the recent allegation of threat to life which the Chairman of the governing council of college, Mr. Niyi Akande levelled against some leaders of the staff union of the college.

The council chairman reported to the Osun State Command of the Nigerian Police in Osogbo, the state capital that 14 staff union leaders in the college were threatening his life.

The development however prompted the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department in Osogbo to summon the 14 staff union leaders through a letter dated 17th November, 2015.

The 14 union leaders listed in the letter include Dr 'Lai Oparinde, Dr. Salawu Famakinwa, Mr. Lasisi Bello, Mr. Tunji Odediji, Mr. M. O. Olusanjo, Mr. D. O. Osundina, Mr. Ganiyu Bukola, Mr. Sola Awoleke, Mr. W. Amusat, Mr. N.O. Olokede, Mr. O. B. Azeez, Mr. Segun Onifade, Mr. Bidemi Adeboye and

Mr. Azeez Jimoh.

When the 14 staff union leaders appeared at the police headquarters in Osogbo on Tuesday, it was a show of solidarity as other staff members stormed the police headquarters along with them. The students also shut down the college and this has paralysed academic activities in the college.

At the police headquarters, the 14 staff union leaders were interrogated and they were asked to write statement which they did. Thereafter, they were asked to sign letter of undertaking but they refused to do so.

A human right group in Osun State, Centre for Sustained Dialogue (CSD) while reacting to the development described the allegation of threat to the life by the council chairman as wanton lie orchestrated to cow the union leaders.

Addressing a press conference on the matter, the Executive Director of CSD, Comrade Omotosho Hakeem said the allegation by Akande was a subtle victimization he devised to witch-hunt the staff union leaders because of their agitation on matters affecting the welfare of the staff of the college.

The CSD insisted that the workers and their leaders should not be victimised for embarking on strike owing to the failure of the state government to pay their salaries and other entitlement as and when due.

“We recalled that before the staff of Osun State owned tertiary institution suspended their recent strike last month, it was agreed that the workers and the union leaders must not be victimised for participating in the struggle but we are surprised that the council chairman is subjecting the leaders of the staff union to unwarranted victimization. We have

responsibility to reject such barbaric action in its entirety,” Omotosho

said.