The Imo State University in Owerri, Imo State, has been under investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board over an allegation of admission racketeering involving some staff members of the institution.
PUNCH Metro gathered that JAMB officials, after observing that its admission portal had been compromised, traced no fewer than 230 fake admission letters to IMSU.
In a bid to get the matter investigated, the JAMB officials were said to have alerted officials of the ICPC to the fake admissions traced to the university and the commission, during the investigation, invited staff members linked to the fraudulent act for questioning.
While some of the staff members linked to the admission racketeering allegation were reportedly arrested in the office of the institution’s VC, Prof. Uchefula Chukwumaeze, some were said to have been arrested at the offices of the Registrar, Dr. Julius Osuagwu, and the Director of Admissions, Ndubuisi Ubaku, among other offices in the institution.
Speaking with our correspondent on Monday, the spokesperson for JAMB, Fabian Benjamin, confirmed that close to 10 employees of the institution were arrested, adding that during a joint operation involving JAMB and ICPC officials, the 230 students whose names were on the fake admission letters traced to the school were also interrogated.
He said, “Yes, 230 fake admission letters were traced to IMSU. We took the matter to the ICPC and close to 10 staff members were arrested. Those involved in the admission office of the university were arrested and the VC was helpful as he ensured that all staff members involved, even those in his office, were not spared.
“Even the 230 students whose names were on the fake admission letters were also interrogated and their admission would be withdrawn. Some of the students are in the 400 level, and some are in the 300 level but whoever is involved will certainly lose that admission.
The spokesperson for IMSU, Ralph Njokuobi, in his reactions to the allegations levelled against all the staff members mentioned in this report, said the case was still under investigation.
Njokuobi said, “Some of them (the staff members mentioned) were invited to come and explain. It is an allegation until it is substantiated. The investigation is ongoing and I don’t need to comment, even though the case hasn’t gone to court.
“The law says you are innocent until proved guilty. It is an allegation and if it is substantiated, they will face the music. There is no doubt about that. But they (accused officials) have continued to go to the ICPC for interrogation.”
Njokuobi, however, explained that the school did not know who was behind the 230 fake admissions issued to people who had been parading themselves as students of IMSU.
He added, “The management went on air to inform the general public that almost 230 students were given fake admission and whoever was behind it, we didn’t know because we have scammers who have surrounded both in and out of the university, which is a very large place.
“So, we announced the names (of the students with fake admission) to the public because JAMB officials came to our university and brought it to our attention that they didn’t clear them. We told the public that they (students with fake admission) were just parading themselves as our students and that they were not our students.”
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