The management of Abia State University (ABSU), Uturu, has suspended a senior lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Mr. Kingsley Izuogu, over allegations bordering on extortion, student harassment and forgery of academic credentials.
The suspension reportedly took effect this week following accusations that the lecturer compelled students to purchase his handout materials and allegedly demanded money in exchange for passing grades in his courses.
Mr. Izuogu is also accused of allegedly forging one of his lower academic qualifications.
Confirming the development to journalists on Wednesday, the university’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Chijioke Nwogu, simply stated:
“Yes. Suspended.”
Despite the allegations, Izuogu has denied any wrongdoing, insisting that he is innocent of the claims levelled against him.
The decision by the university management has generated mixed reactions among students, parents and members of the ABSU community.
While some stakeholders welcomed the suspension and described it as a necessary move toward sanitising the institution and tackling corruption within the academic system, others argued that the university should have waited for the outcome of an ongoing government investigation before taking disciplinary action.
The Abia State Government had earlier constituted a separate panel to investigate allegations of corruption and misconduct within the university.
However, the panel is yet to complete its investigation or submit its final report.
The development has once again drawn attention to concerns about accountability, ethics and alleged exploitation within some tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
