The Federal University, Gusau (FUGUS) has refuted claims made by Bernard Odoh, the recently sacked Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), that he was employed as a professor at the institution.
At an emergency press conference on Thursday, FUGUS Vice Chancellor, Prof. Muazu Abubakar, categorically stated that Odoh had never been hired as a professor by the university, nor had he ever worked there in any capacity.
Abubakar emphasized that documents allegedly showing Odoh’s appointment and confirmation as a professor—bearing dates of April 30, 2015, and November 12, 2015—were “fabricated” and part of “administrative fraud.”
The documents were also allegedly signed by the former university registrar, Ibrahim Kaura, whose tenure had ended years prior.
Notably, the documents were dated November 8, 2024, six years after Kaura had left the institution.
This follows a series of media reports regarding the controversial sacking of Odoh, who had been appointed as the Vice Chancellor of UNIZIK by its governing council, led by Greg Mbadiwe, in late October 2024.
The reports included claims that Odoh had been offered a tenure appointment at FUGUS, a claim that has since been discredited.
Abubakar explained that the university had received multiple inquiries from the public regarding Odoh’s allegations.
In response, the university conducted an internal investigation and issued a formal disclaimer to clarify that Odoh was never employed by FUGUS.
“The university management, after a thorough investigation, has confirmed that Dr. Odoh was neither employed nor appointed as a professor at FUGUS,” Abubakar said.
He added that Odoh continued to present the fraudulent documents despite the university’s disclaimer, causing reputational damage to the institution.
The situation has drawn criticism, with Abubakar describing Odoh’s actions as a direct challenge to the credibility and integrity of FUGUS.
He stressed that no official records or documentation exist to support Odoh’s claims.
Meanwhile, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) expressed support for the decision by President Bola Tinubu to remove Odoh and the UNIZIK governing council.
This development follows Tinubu’s action on Wednesday, which dissolved the governing council and terminated Odoh’s appointment as vice chancellor of the university.
