SAN FRANCISCO, August 17, (THEWILL) – The Registrar of the University of Maiduguri, Alhaji Babagana Aji, is currently under police investigation.
He was said to have been invited Wednesday by the Borno State Police Command over allegations of manipulation of the selection process that led to the emergence of the new vice chancellor of the school, Prof Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi.
A local source told THEWILL on Saturday that: “Some detectives from the Borno Police Command came to pick our boss, the Registrar on Wednesday, to their office. They introduced themselves and went into the Registrar office. Some minutes later, they came out and went with Oga. He told us he was going with them and he will soon return but he didn’t come back to the office that day.”
He was said to have returned to the office only on Thursday afternoon having been reportedly detained overnight at the police station.
Informed sources at the school said his ordeal may not be unconnected with a petition against his alleged involvement in the promotion and consideration of Njodi as the substantive vice chancellor of the university.
Njodi was said to have scored the highest votes of over 90 percent ahead his other strong contenders namely Prof Yaganami Karta, former Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Prof Mohammed Kundiri and Prof Isa Hussein, Dean Faculty of Pharmacy.
It was alleged that the Registrar mounted pressure on the council not to announce the winner after the selection process, and the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the University Governing Council, Alhaji Lawan Marguba, was allegedly coerced to issue a statement on the stay of action on the selection process by the council.
But following the issuance of Certificate of Compliance to Njodi by the Federal Character Commission (FCC), the council was left with no choice than to announce his appointment as the ninth Vice chancellor of the University .
A statement issued by the university said the certificate of compliance was conveyed to the university asserting the authority of the university to issue letter of appointment to Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi as the new Vice Chancellor.
But this would not stop the petitioners who canvassed for a “thorough investigation” , alleging that the official file of the newly appointed VC was tampered with to clear him of the allegation of illegal promotion.
However, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Borno Command, Gideon Jubrin , could not be reached for confirmation of the development. The Chief Information Officer of the University , Mallam Ahmed Mohammed , also refused to comment on the matter.
“Neither the university council nor the vice chancellor has given me any authority to confirm such happening. I cannot also make any comment about the allegation of illegal promotion and matter of tampering with files which you asked. The matter is being investigated by the police and you may wish to contact them,” Mohammed said.
