UNN: CLO Petitions EFCC Over Alleged Monumental Corruption Against Professor Okolo

Posted by African Examiner education, Latest Headlines, News Wednesday, January 22nd, 2014

IGNATIUS OKPARA, Enugu

The Civil Liberties Organization, CLO, has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, asking it to commence probe of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Bartho Okolo.

Embattled UNN Vice Chancellor, Professor Bartho Okolo.

The human rights organisation, in a petition addressed to the EFCC and obtained by African Examiner on Monday accused the embattled the UNN VC, of committing monumental corrupt practices in the university.

The petition entitled, “APPEAL FOR URGENT INTERVENTION AND THOROUGH INVESTIGATION: RE: EMBEZZLEMENT AND MASSIVE CORRUPTION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA”, was signed by the South-East Coordinator of CLO, Olu Omotayo.

The petition read in parts: “we write to you in respect of the above-mentioned matter and demand for an urgent intervention and investigation into the massive corruption perpetrated by Professor Bartholomew Okolo, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and his cohorts.

It continued, “In fact, the embezzlement and the corruption are so massive but we shall point out few outstanding ones that demands urgent investigation by the Commission”.

“the Vice Chancellor swindled the University of billions of naira by awarding contracts to non existent companies”.

It identified five of such non-existent companies through which the university money were allegedly embezzled to include- Enwerem and Sons Enterprises, Ottamo Trading Company, Ozetech Metal Construction, Noble Tech Aluminium Industry, Chronicle Computers and Communications.

“It is unheard of any where in the world, that a Vice Chancellor of a university will award contracts running into billions of naira to non existence companies.

“Our findings at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), shows that these five companies are not registered companies in Nigeria.

“They are non-existent and are mere phantom companies through which the Vice Chancellor swindled billions of naira”.

The CLO added that “apart from this, another medium through which Professor Barth Okolo perpetrated massive fraud is the deduction at source of N2,000 from the salaries of all the staff of the university without their consent as internet charges, each staff pays the sum of N24, 000 naira, annually while students are made to pay N18, 000 naira for the so called internet services.

These moneys are paid to an unknown account and diverted by the Vice Chancellor. “It is our belief that the Commission will not shirk away in its responsibility and ensure that justice is done in respect of this matter.

“We demand an urgent and thorough investigation and urge the Commission to leave no stone unturned to ensure that justice is done in respect of this matter as the circumstance of this case demands”. It concluded