A Special Adviser to Sokoto State Governor Ahmad Aliyu on Student Matters, Alhaji Abubakar Salame, has been dragged to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the alleged diversion of tuition fees of 704 students.
The students from Usman Danfodio University Sokoto (UDUS), in a petition to the EFCC Sokoto Zonal Office, accused the governor’s aide of diverting the tuition fees of 704 indigent students at the university.
They said the state government has approved tuition fee payments for 5,994 students at UDUS, but Mr Salame paid only 5,290 students, leaving 704 unpaid.
The aggrieved students said Mr Salame has refused to settle their tuition fees despite the funds provided by Governor Aliyu.
The petition, dated November 5, 2024; was signed by Usman Yahuza, Sanusi Ibrahim Sahabi, Mahadi Sa’idu Aliyu, Ibrahim Abubakar, and Abdullahi Sulaiman, on behalf of the 704 others.
In a letter titled, “A Complaint of Fraud Against Abubakar Muhammad Salame (Honourable Special Adviser on Student Matters to the Governor of Sokoto State),” the students said the state government had approved the payment of N557.8 million through the office of the student’s adviser.
The students said 5,994 students were verified by officials designated by the special adviser between May 14 and 18, 2024, but only 5,290 students were paid in three batches.
“Out of the total number of students for which the tuition fees were approved, the Special Adviser paid the tuition fees of 5,290 students in three batches and left (out) the tuition fees of the remaining 704 students yet unpaid.”
They further lamented that this caused unnecessary hardship for the affected students, adding that “all efforts to make him complete the payment proved abortive as he converted the money to personal use.”
The students said Mr Salame’s refusal to pay them has subjected them to unnecessary hardship, affecting their academic performance and worsening their economic conditions.
The students pleaded with the EFCC to come to their aid, saying: “We kindly seek the assistance of your noble office to investigate this matter with a view to doing justice to all.”
When our correspondent in Sokoto contacted Mr Salame for comments, he said he was aware of the students’ petition to EFCC but denied the allegations of diverting their tuition fees.
Mr Salame said, “I have dragged them to court because I want the court to order a thorough investigation into the allegations.
“Already, their (students) lawyers and parents have started lobbying for out-of-court settlement but I told them to publicly retract their statements before agreeing on any settlement,” he said.
