The Iseyin community and students of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Iseyin campus, have raised serious allegations of deliberate sabotage of academic activities by some lecturers and staff of the institution’s College of Agricultural Science and Renewable Natural Resources.

Under the aegis of the Iseyin Development Union (IDU), the community alleged that a group of lecturers, reportedly led by the Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, has persistently undermined the smooth operation and development of the newly established campus through absenteeism, refusal to teach, and actions capable of destabilising the academic environment.

Addressing journalists at a press conference held at the palace of the Aseyin of Iseyinland, Oba Sefiu Oyebola Adeyeri III, the National President of the IDU, Alhaji Mubasiru Azeez, accused the lecturers of intentionally frustrating the take-off of the college, despite the support of the Oyo State Government and the host community.

Azeez commended Governor Seyi Makinde for relocating the LAUTECH College of Agricultural Science and Renewable Natural Resources to Iseyin and for approving financial and logistic support for the campus.

However, he lamented that the good intentions of the government were being sabotaged by some academic staff who have allegedly refused to relocate or discharge their teaching responsibilities since academic activities commenced at the campus on October 13, 2025.

According to the IDU, lecturers in key departments such as Crop Production and Soil Science, Crop and Environmental Protection, and Agricultural Economics have allegedly failed to report for lectures, while only skeletal academic presence was recorded in other departments.

The Union described the situation as a calculated attempt to cripple academic activities and jeopardise the future of students.

The community further alleged that more than half of the students had been forced to return to Ogbomoso due to the absence of lecturers, with some reportedly compelled to work on private farms belonging to their supervisors.

It also accused some lecturers of deliberately withholding results of 400-level students now in 500 level, preparing conflicting timetables to cause confusion, and allegedly inciting students to protest and engage in unrest within the town.

The IDU claimed that despite the payment of levies for farm practicals, no practical training had been assigned to students, while final-year students were allegedly subjected to repeated travel between Ogbomoso and Iseyin for project supervision, exposing them to financial hardship and safety risks.

Describing the actions as deliberate and coordinated sabotage, the community accused the lecturers of instigating opposition to the Iseyin campus within Ogbomoso, encouraging parents and students to protest government policy, and engaging in negative propaganda against Iseyin and the wider Oke-Ogun zone.

Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Oyo State Chapter, Comrade Tiamiyu Taiwo, corroborated the claims and decried the hardship faced by students due to the continued absence of some lecturers.

He called on the state government, LAUTECH management, and other stakeholders to urgently enforce compliance among academic staff to restore normal academic activities at the Iseyin campus.

The community and students jointly appealed to Governor Makinde to intervene decisively, restore sanity, and sanction any personnel found culpable of undermining the academic stability and development of the LAUTECH Iseyin campus.