The Federal University, Gusau in Zamfara State, has said it never employed the sacked Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Bernard Odoh.
The Vice Chancellor of FUGUS, Prof. Muazu Abubakar, made the denial on Thursday to counter Odoh’s claim that the university once hired him.
The VC said Odoh “has neither served as a professor at the Federal University of Gusau nor did the university ever employ him.”
Abubakar said the letters allegedly showing Odoh’s appointment and confirmation as a professor—dated April 30, 2015, and November 12, 2015—are “products of administrative fraud.,” adding that these documents, purportedly certified by the former Registrar of the University, Ibrahim Kaura, were dated November 8, 2024—six years after Kaura had left the university.
According to the FUGUS VC, recent media reports have been rife with controversies surrounding Odoh’s tenure as the Vice Chancellor of UNIZIK, particularly his claim that he was offered tenure and confirmed as a professor at FUGUS.
“Part of the issues that have generated serious attention is the misleading and unfounded claim by Dr. Odoh that he was offered a tenure appointment and confirmed as a professor by the Federal University Gusau,” Abubakar said.
He said the university was inundated with many enquiries, prompting management to investigate thoroughly.
“In response to public enquiries, the university management, after a thorough internal scrutiny, issued a disclaimer to the effect that Dr. Odoh was neither employed by the university nor appointed as a professor.
“Despite the disclaimer, Dr. Odoh has been unrelenting, parading documents purportedly issued by the university as proof of his non-existent employment,” the VC said.
The VC said this caused damage to the university by the misinformation, describing the situation as an affront to the credibility of the institution.
Abubakar said there was no evidence of official documentation supporting Odoh’s claims of employment or promotion.
