NUC nabs fake ‘professor’ •Suspect, 2 accomplices in police net

THE authorities of National Universities Commission (NUC), have perfected the arrest and detention of an alleged fake professor, who is also promoting illegal universities in Nigeria and Ghana.

The suspect, Ambi P. N., who claimed to be a Professor of Statistics, from universities both in Ghana and Nigeria, was denied by the institutions.

He and two other accomplices, have since been handed over to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, for further investigation.

Trouble started when the alleged fake professor approached the NUC authorities to submit a proposal for the establishment of Nigeria-British University, to be situated in Lagos.

In accordance with the NUC procedure for accreditation of an institution, the officials of the proposed university were invited for further interaction with the commission, based on the letter of intent to establish a private university earlier written to the NUC.

The Nigerian Tribune gathered that the letter was dated Monday, 23 December, 2013 and was signed by one Reverend (Dr) Paul Emmanuel. A lawyer whose name was not disclosed was also part of the team.

According to NUC, the interaction took place at the Idris Abdulkadir Auditorium, at the commission’s headquarters, situated in Maitama, Abuja, on Tuesday, September 9, 2014.

NUC further explained that the purpose of invitation of the promoter of the university was to ascertain the level of commitment in order to guide NUC on its decision.

“This is part of the process leading to the award of licence to operate a private university, “the commission explained.

It was gathered that during the course of the interaction, NUC’s Executive Secretary, Professor Julius Okojie, sought to know how the said Ambi P. N. became a professor.

Unfortunately, the said professor became jittery and in the process, gave conflicting accounts fuelling suspicion that prompted Okojie to verify the claims from the universities he mentioned where he acquired his professorship.

In one account, the suspect claimed to have obtained his professorship from the Obong University, Obong Ntak, Akwa Ibom State and studied at the University of Science and Technology Kumasi Ghana up to Ph.D level.

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