The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), on Thursday, revealed that only N28.8 billion was disbursed to students in various tertiary institutions instead of N100 billion released to the schools.

The anti-graft agency specifically said its preliminary investigations have uncovered that not less than N71.2 billion have been diverted by the management of different universities who had taken custody of funds.

The spokesman of the commission, Demola Bakare, told journalists in Abuja that key stakeholders, including the Director-General of the Budget Office and the Accountant-General of the Federation have been invited.

Bakare also disclosed that senior officials from the Central Bank of Nigeria as well as the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of NELFUND were invited to provide documentation and explanations relevant to the case.

Daily Trust reports that the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Lanre Issa-Onilu, had two weeks raised the alarm that the universities were trying to sabotage the Tinubu-led government on the students’ loan scheme.

Issa-Onilu alleged that no fewer than 51 tertiary institutions were implicated in illegal deductions and exploitation related to the NELFUND scheme, while calling on the anti-graft agencies to unravel the fraud and halt it.

Similarly, reports from the media also alleged that these institutions were said to have made unauthorized deductions ranging from N3,500 to N30,000 from each student’s institutional fees received through the loan fund.

Giving an update on the issue, the ICPC spokesman explained that the commission had since swung into action following the alarm, adding that those found culpable would be brought to book.

Bakare said, “The Commission confirmed that its Chairman’s Special Task Force immediately swung into action upon receiving the report.

“Letters of investigation and invitations were dispatched to key stakeholders, including the Director-General of the Budget Office, the Accountant General of the Federation, and senior officials from the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“Additionally, the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of NELFUND were invited to provide documentation and explanations relevant to the case.

“Preliminary findings revealed a significant gap in the financial records of the disbursement process. While the Federal Government reportedly released N100 billion for the scheme, only N28.8 billion was disbursed to students, leaving an unaccounted sum of N71.2 billion.”

While giving the breakdown of the NELFUND’s records, Bakare said the ICPC’s strength of investigation revealed that the total money received by NELFUND as of March 19, 2024, was N203.8 billion.

 “The breakdown showed that N10 Billion was an allocation from the Federation Allocation Account Committee, N50 billion was from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, N71.9B was from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, while another N71.9 billion was also from the same Tertiary Education Trust Fund,” the ICPC official told journalists.

According to him, responses received by the commission were critically analyzed, and interviews were conducted with the concerned individuals.

He noted that the ICPC, however, found that the total amount disbursed to institutions from inception to date is about N44,200,933,649.00, while a total of 299 institutions have benefited from the funds released.

“To date, the total amount disbursed to 299 beneficiary institutions stands at approximately N44.2 billion, with 293,178 students having benefited from the fund.

“The ICPC confirmed that a clear case of discrepancies has been established in the administration of the student loan scheme and announced that its investigation will now extend to beneficiary institutions and individual student recipients.”

He said the commission would from time-to-time provide further updates as the investigation progresses.

“Comprehensive investigations into the alleged discrepancies surrounding the disbursement of students’ loans under the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has commenced,” he stated.

Daily Trust Credited

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The suspended Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Calabar, (UNICAL) Professor Cyril Ndifon has been ordered to be remanded in the Abuja Kuje Prison over alleged sexual assaults.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) arraigned Ndifon in court on four counts of alleged sexual misconduct against some of his students.

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja ordered that Professor Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean of Faculty of Law, University of Calabar (UNICAL), be remanded at the Kuje Centre of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending the conclusion of his bail application.

According to the Commission’s Spokesperson, Mrs. Azuka Ogugua, in a statement said, “The Professor of Law however pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him.”

Counsel to the defendant, Okon Efut had prayed that the defendant be granted bail as the application for that had been filed on his behalf on January 2nd, 2024.

However, counsel to the ICPC, Dr. Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha opposed the bail application on the ground that one of the lawyers representing the defendant, Barrister Sunny Anyanwu had allegedly threatened one of the star witnesses ICPC lined up for the trial.

In his defence, Barrister Anyanwu, who had earlier argued that the name of the said witness was not listed in the charges read, later told the court that it was the “witness” that called him.

Justice Omotosho however directed Barrister Anyanwu to file his affidavit of fact within 48 hours over the threat allegation of ICPC witness leveled against him.

He also ruled that the defendant, Professor Cyril Ndifon, be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre till the next adjourned date of hearing

Mr Ndifon, a professor of law, was indicted by an investigating panel set up by the University of Calabar after several female students accused him of sexual harassment.

The State Security Service (SSS) afterward arrested him in October and handed him over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for prosecution.

The ICPC, on 2 November, preferred a 14-count charge against Mr Ndifon, after investigations which was later amended to four.

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