The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has invited the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos in Plateau State, Professor Ishaya Tanko over alleged fraud, Sahara Reporters reports.
The anti-graft agency, in a letter dated March 19, 2024 by Adebayo Adeniyi, Zonal Commander, Abuja, said the VC was invited for questioning.
EFCC requested the VC to come with Dr. Yusuf Abdullahi, the University’s Deputy Dean of Student Affairs to attend an interview with the undersigned through the Head CTGI-P5.1, on Tuesday, March 26, 2024.
The agency also asked Prof. Tanko to come with his response to their earlier letter dated December 27, 2023. The letter with reference number:CR:3000/EFCC/ABJ/ZN/CTGI-PS.1/TA/VOL.18/200 dated March 19, 2024 is titled, ‘Re: Investigation Activities. Letter Of Invitation.’
The letter addressed to the VC reads: “The Commission’s letter referenced CR:3000/EFCC/ABJ/ZN/CTGI-PS.1/TA/VOL.18/030 dated 27th December, 2023 refers.
“In view of the above, you are kindly requested to come with Dr. Yusuf Abdullahi, Deputy Dean, Student Affairs of the University to attend an interview with the undersigned through the Head CTGI-P5.1, on Tuesday 26th March, 2024 by 10:00am at Block A. EFCC Abuja Zonal Command, No. 5 Fomella Street, Ademola Adetokunbo Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja.
“You are further requested to come with the response to our earlier letter dated 27th December, 2023 (copy enclosed).
“Your cooperation in this regard is highly solicited, please.”
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Prof. Tanko, who honoured the invitation on Tuesday, March 26, was grilled for hours by personnel of the agency following accusation of diverting three hundred and fifty-five million naira (N355,000,000.00) to different private accounts.
The money was said to have been used to offset a certain liability of rent for the university’s two liaison offices in Lagos and Abuja through a company named Kolo Global Concept Ltd which he introduced as the owners of the properties.
Some staff members of the University in a petition to the Minister of Education alleged that the two liaison offices of the school were already purchased by the previous administrations of the University.
According to the petition, the company – Kolo Global Concept Ltd – did not have any form of contract with the University at the time of the vice-chancellor’s request for funds. The petition added that the money was later distributed to various accounts on the directives of the VC.
The workers alleged that the sharing formula did not later go well with some of the parties involved in the fraudulent transaction, thereby resulting in an impasse.
The petition reads in part, “The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos, Prof. Ishaya Tanko wrote a fraudulent letter to the Federal Government sometime in September 2022 requesting the government to offset a certain liability of rent for the university’s two liaison offices situated in Lagos and Abuja to the tune of three hundred and fifty-five million naira (N355,000,000.00) to a company named KOLO GLOBAL CONCEPT LTD whom he claimed and introduced through his letter addressed to the then Minister of Finance as the owners of the properties used as the University’s liaison offices in Lagos and Abuja.
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“The Honorable Minister may wish to note that the two liaison offices of the University of Jos are already purchased by the University during previous administrations of former Vice-Chancellors of the University whom the current VC was part of at some point.
“Similarly, Sir, further investigations revealed that the company KOLO GLOBAL CONCEPT LTD is not in any form of contract with the University as at the time of the Vice-Chancellor’s request for funds.
“After investigations in the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, we found that the sum of three hundred and eleven million sixty-nine thousand naira, forty four kobo (N311,069,767.44) net of taxes was paid from service-wide vote into the account of KOLO GLOBAL CONCEPT LTO via GIFMIS with the following details:
“AWAK-DAVE QUALITY VENTURES: Account number: 4091718964, Bank: Polaris Bank Amount: N150,000,000, Date: October 10 2023
“URBAN CRIBS LIMITED-II: Account number: 0002784695, Bank: Taj Bank, Amount:
“N105,600,000, Date: September 18 2023. 3. BELGABDO INTEGRATED SERVICES LTD: Account number: 1016183653, Bank: Zenith Date: September 18 2023, Amount: 12,000,000.
“The money was later distributed to various accounts on the directives of the Vice-Chancellor. The sharing formula did not later go well with some of the parties involved in the fraudulent transaction thereby resulting in a lot of impasse between them.
“The Vice-Chancellor because of fear of being busted due to the controversies surrounding the money, later directed the owner of KOLO GLOBAL CONCEPT LTD to retrieve all the monies from the beneficiaries of the transaction. Attached is a copy of one of the letters written by the owner of the company to one of the parties involved.
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“Sir, it may also interest you to know that Prof. Ishaya Tanko has since assuming office as the Vice-Chancellor has been accumulating wealth for himself through frivolous foreign travels which have little or no benefit to the University thereby squandering the little revenue being generated by the University. The bursary department of the university can be contacted for details of his travels.
“It is because of your zero tolerance for corruption and corrupt practices and the confidence the public has in you that we urge you to investigate this matter sir and bring any erring public officer to book. The public and the entire University community kindly await your swift action.”
Meanwhile, efforts to reach Prof. Tanko and the University’s public relations officer, Abdullahi B. Abdullahi were not successful as they did not answer calls and text messages.
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