THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has commenced investigation into the alleged financial misappropriation at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) in Ekiti State, The ICIR can report.
“Investigation on the matter has just commenced,” an operative of the EFCC who did not want to be named because he is not authorised to speak to the press told our correspondent.
This followed a petition by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Akure Zone to the anti-graft agency seeking its intervention in the crises rocking the university.
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The academic union in a petition sighted by The ICIR dated September 23, 2019, addressed to the EFCC and also to the Independent Corrupt and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had sought the intervention of the anti-corruption agencies in what it described as gross maladministration at the university administration.
“The administrative style of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kayode Shoremekun has led to consistent crises in the university for the past three years and recently, the students protest that claimed lives of two students,” ASUU said in the document.
In view of the above, the union hereby seeks urgent intervention of your office for justice.”
The document was signed by Olu Olufayo, Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Akure Zone, Adeola Egbedokun, Chairperson ASUU, OAU, Yinka Awopetu, Chairperson ASUU, FUTA, Kayode Arogundade, Chairperson, ASUU EKSU and Akinyemi Omonijo, Chairperson ASUU, FUOYE.
It alleged financial recklessness against the management of the university under the leadership of the Vice-Chancellor, Kayode Shoremekun.
According to the petition, ASUU among other allegations accused the management of the university of diversion and misuse of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfund) money of about N11.7million to another account that would be difficult to trace for accurate supervision.
The union wants an investigation into the allegation against the university’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Abayomi Sunday, who it alleged received double salary during and after his Sabbatical leave at the university.
It also alleged the management of diversion of N13.560million into one university special imprest account with UBA and award of SIWES logbook to a company that did not bid for the contract at the rate of N550 per copy as against N220 per copy submitted by UNILORIN Press.
The Union sent copies of the petition to the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
A source at the Ibadan Zonal office of the ICPC who also declined to be named confirmed to our reporter that the Commission received a petition against the management of FUOYE written by ASUU.
He said action would be taken once necessary procedures of scrutiny on the petition have been concluded assuring that once it is established that there violations according to the Act of the Commission and the approval of the Chairman is granted, all those indicted would be invited for questioning.
The ICIR reported that the university has been embroiled in series of crises in recent time notable among which is the face-off between the academic union and the management over The State of FUOYE report which detailed the infrastructure decay and other issues at the university.
The crises have led to the termination of appointments of some lecturers and suspension of the union’s chairperson, Akinyemi Omonijo.