Our VC Was Not Sacked Over N3.4 Billion Fraud, Nigerian Maritime University Insists
The Nigerian Maritime University (NMU) in Okerenkoko Delta State has clarified that its immediate past Vice Chancellor, Professor Ongoebi Etebu was not sacked for any allegation of fraud or embezzlement.
The Registrar of the institution Dr. Alfred Mulade made the clarification in a letter to journalists in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State.
According to him, the VC had served her full tenure which expired on 25th of May 2020 as against false reports by an online media.
The University also made clarification that the Minister of State Petroleum Resources Chief Timipre Sylva who was chairman of the governing council was relieved of the position, because of his elevation as Minister and cannot function in the position any longer.
On the alleged diversion of funds by Professor Etebu , he emphasised that “ the Governing Council in its wisdom approved the payment of salary arrears to the four principal officers (Prof.(Mrs).O.M.O.Etebu-Vice-Chancellor; Mr. Anho NathanielEseoghene Lucky- Registrar; Mr. Hassan Bakari and Dr. Baba S. Aduku- Librarian)
Dr. Mulade further made clarification that,
the dissolution of the Governing Council of the University does not have anything to-do with the alleged fraud as painted by an online media.
“His Excellency, Chief Timipre Sylva who was the Chairman Governing Council has been made Minister and there was no way he could function in these two capacities; hence the Board was dissolved to be re-constituted”
“It is a well known fact that the tenure of the Vice Chancellor is time based and therefore her tenure elapsed on the May 25, 2020. So this has nothing to do with alleged fraud as posited maliciously”
“We hereby state categorically that, the Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko does not have any record of missing N3.4 Billion Naira and N100 Million Naira. The trio of His Excellency, Chief Timipre Sylva, Engr. Prof. (Mrs.) Maureen Orubide Etebu and Mr. Chris Maiyaiki or any other person, for that matter could not have been linked to any alleged fraud of this nature that did not exist, in the first place” he said
