Five companies used as conduit.
IFEANYI EZUGWU,ENUGU.
The Civil Liberties Organization, CLO, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to commence probe of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Bartho Okolo.
The CLO in a petition addressed to the EFCC and obtained by Daily Champion on Tuesday accused Okolo of committing monumental corrupt practices in the university.
The petition entitled, “APPEAL FOR URGENT INTERVENTION AND THOROUGH INVESTIGATION:
RE: EMBEZZLEMENT AND MASSIVE CORRUPTION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA“, was signed by the South-East Coordinator of CLO, Olu Omotayo.
The organization said,”We write to you in respect of the above-mentioned matter and demand
for an urgent intervention and investigation into the massive corruption perpetrated by Professor Bartholomew Okolo, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and his cohorts.
“In fact, the embezzlement and the corruption are so massive but we shall point out few outstanding ones that demands urgent investigation by the
Commission”.
It disclosed that “the Vice Chancellor swindled the University of billions of
naira by awarding contracts to non existent companies”.
It identified five of such
non-existent companies through which the university money were
allegedly embezzled to include- Enwerem and Sons Enterprises, Ottamo Trading Company, Ozetech Metal Construction, Noble Tech Aluminium Industry, Chronicle Computers and Communications.
“It is unheard of, any where in the world, that a Vice Chancellor of a
university will award contracts running into billions of naira to non
existence companies.
“Our findings at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), shows that these five companies are not registered companies in Nigeria.
“They are non-existent and are mere phantom companies through which the Vice Chancellor swindled billions of naira”.
The CLO added that “apart from this, another medium through which Professor Barth Okolo
perpetrated massive fraud is the deduction at source of N2,000 from the salaries of all the staff of the university without their consent as internet charges, each staff pays the sum of N24, 000 naira, annually while students are made to pay N18, 000 naira for
the so called internet services. These moneys are paid to an unknown
account and diverted by the Vice Chancellor.
“It is our belief that the Commission will not shirk away in its responsibility and ensure that justice is done in respect of this
matter.
“We demand an urgent and thorough investigation and urge the
Commission to leave no stone unturned to ensure that justice is done in
respect of this matter as the circumstance of this case demands”.
