The Nigerian anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has started investigating the vice-chancellor of the Kano State University of Science and Technology, Wudil, Kano State, Shehu Alhaji-Musa over an alleged N1.1 billion contract scam.
In a letter sighted by DAILY NIGERIAN, the agency said it was investigating contracts awarded by the vice chancellor for the supply of office equipment and library stationery as well as the furnishing of a 400-seat capacity twin theatre.
Other documents alleged that the sum of N584,591,000 was awarded for the supply of office equipment and library stationery, while N608,200,000 was awarded for the furnishing of the 400-seat capacity twin theatre on the university campus.
The project was captured under the 2021 final supplementary intervention of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFUND, according to the medium.
The EFCC letter reads: “This Commission is investigating a case in which there is a need to obtain information from you in respect of the above-mentioned contracts purported to have been awarded by your office (copy attached).”
million naira (N194,000,000.00) released to the university in December 2021, was purportedly expended without the statutory Council Tenders Board meeting and approval of the Governing Council.
“It is sad this development of continuous usurpation of the powers of the Governing Council by the management of the University.
“The council should ensure the fund (N194 million) is recovered in order to avert unnecessary litigation,” the letter read.
The union further alleged that management under the leadership of the outgoing VC, has begun an illegal recruitment of academic staff in some departments without due process or consideration for newly established departments that need more staff.
“Our concern has been: when did the council approve the recruitment, and is there any budgetary provision for the recruitment? We are worried that recruitment at this transition period would not augur well for the system.
“We have been lamenting that even if there is going to be any employment, priority should be given to the 23 newly introduced programs that are facing NUC accreditation soon,” the lecturers said in the letter.
In a follow-up letter dated December 20, 2022, the union reminded the council of its promise to convene a regular council meeting to deliberate on “pressing issues affecting the smooth running of the university.”
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