Policemen from Zone 5, Benin city, Edo State, have arrested one Solomon Oberido, a teacher and Chairman of Teachers Reformation Forum in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, SaharaReporters has learnt.
Oberido was arrested on Tuesday for exposing alleged corruption and embezzlement of union’s funds of N57,249,381 by the Nigeria Union of Teachers chairman in the council area, Festus Basil Erabere, and members of his cabinet.
Speaking with our correspondent, a member of the teachers forum, who identified himself as Oghenejabor, confirmed the arrest and disclosed that they had petitioned the NUT chairman and his cabinet over the alleged embezzlement.
The state’s Ministry of Justice referred the matter to the Commissioner of Police, who invited the NUT chairman and his cabinet to the State Criminal Investigation Department but they refused to honour it.
“The NUT chairman and his cabinet refused to honour the state CID invitation to answer questions bothering on the petition against them.
“After sending a lawyer as their representatives to deceive the police that they were indisposed with a promise to appear on Monday, the next thing we saw was a team of police detectives from the Zone 5, Benin City to arrest our forum’s chairman to Benin.
“When has it become a crime for exposing corruption and embezzlement of union’s funds running into several millions of naira?
“We demand the immediate unconditional release of Comrade Oberido and a stop to the intimidation and harassment of teachers fighting for the welfare and rights of members.”
When contacted on the issue, Erabere denied any embezzlement of the union’s fund.
