Protesting Nigerian students. Image credit: dailypost.ng

Students to petition EFCC over alleged N208bn fraud in TETFUND

Action expedient to rescuing universities from an infrastructural deficit

Condemned CSOs for criticizing their call for an investigation of TETFUND

University Students, under the auspices of the National Association of Universities’ Students(NAUS), have threatened to petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate alleged plundering of over N208 billion Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) released to the agency by the Federal Government.

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NAUS’ National Vice President, Comrade Aruson David Aridiogo told journalists in Abuja that the association will protest at the EFCC office in Abuja and submit a petition on the expediency of the investigation anytime from now.

The association said the action became expedient to rescue universities from infrastructural deficit caused by a high level of corruption in the utilization of TETFUND funds and mismanagement of funds in higher institutions by university managements.

Comrade Aridiogo added that the students, who are at the receiving end of poor infrastructures in the public universities across the nation won’t fold their arms and allow financial corruption of this magnitude to be swept under the carpet.

NAUS also slammed out the Civil Society Organisations (CSOS), criticizing it over its steady call for the investigation of TETFUND’s Executive Secretary, Prof Suleiman Bogoro over his alleged complicity in the high-level corruption.

In condemning the CSOs, the NAUS leader added that it was unfortunate that those branding themselves as CSOs could be protecting those that were allegations of corruption, saying this action has portrayed the coalition asking EFCC not to investigate Prof Bogoro as unscrupulous elements, who only wanted money for survival at the expense of the Nigerian students.

The describe the demands as neither contradictory, ill-conceived nor sponsored by any person or group of persons to tarnish the image of the TETFUND boss, maintaining that demand was strictly based on the principle of accountability by a public office holder.