By Abdullahi Muritala

USMANU Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS) has, for the first time in recent disciplinary actions, publicly identified a staff member dismissed for misconduct, a move that followed a scrutiny triggered by an earlier report by The ICIR highlighting double standards in the institution’s handling of sanctions.

The university recently announced the dismissal of a staff member, Garba Ahmed, over his alleged involvement in the illegal mobilisation of unqualified students for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). Unlike previous cases, UDUS disclosed the identity of the staff member in its official statement.

In the statement, the Director Information and Public Relations of the University, Ismaila Yauri, said the decision was taken at the university governing council’s 176th meeting held on April 1, 2026.

The staff member, before his dismissal, worked in the Registry Department and was found guilty of gross misconduct.

This marks a shift from the pattern established in The ICIR’s earlier report, which revealed that while the university routinely published names and details of expelled students, it withheld the identities of lecturers and staff dismissed for serious offences, including result manipulation and sexual harassment.

The ICIR report sparked conversations around transparency and accountability within the institution, with stakeholders questioning the fairness of exposing students while shielding staff involved in comparable or more severe misconduct.

The latest development points to a possible response to the criticism, with the university taking a more transparent step by identifying the dismissed staff member in a case of significant public interest.

Although UDUS has not explicitly linked the change to the earlier report, the decision to disclose the staff member’s identity represents a notable departure from its previous communication style and signals a possible shift toward greater accountability.