The management of the Novelty Polytechnic, Kishi, Ibadan, Oyo has distanced itself from some satellite campuses alleged to have been established in some states of the federation by an impostor using the name of the institution to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians.

The management of the Polytechnic while warning Nigerians not to have anything to do with the purported illegal campuses urged the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), to immediately effect the closure of the illegal outreaches alleged to have been established in Ibadan, Lagos, Niger and Abuja.

A former National President of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Prince Lanre Ogundipe, briefed newsmen during the weekend in Abuja alongside the Wife of the Proprietor of the Polytechnic Mrs Abdul Ganiyu Salami, and Dr Dele Fanimo, all of whom have a stake in the running of the institution.

The Novelty Polytechnic was established about three years ago. The dream for the school was birthed by Dr Abdul Ganiyu Salami. The school which started with 83 students now has population of about 400 students all at National Diploma level.

Ogundipe, noted Novelty Polytechnic, Kishi, was established to produce a new generation of Nigerians, well equipped with technical skills for the world of work and contributing meaningfully to the development of the nation.

According to him, the Polytechnic is a young institution and would never engage in actions against the regulations or compromise the standards set out by the regulatory agency, NBTE that oversees technical education in Nigeria.

Ogundipe, however, revealed that one of the staff engaged as a canvasser, from the school community with mandate of bringing students transmuted himself into Managing Director of the institution unknown to the owner, and “before we could call Jack Robinson, this guy had established satellite campuses all over in Ibadan, Lagos, Niger and Abuja and directing the same proceed of that into his personal accounts”.

He noted that on discovery of his illegal activities, the school authorities in December 2022, invited the police and that he was charged with embezzlement of over N50 million, and was later granted bail by the court.

“From then he began the shenanigans and campaign in the media against the school. We did want to join issues with him because we felt that by the time we started with him, they would now be saying because those people are media men. But we want to prove to the larger public that we had good intentions of having him as a partner to work with us on this project but he has ulterior motives to defraud the school, smear the image of the school and the Proprietor.

“We carried out audited accounts of the school during the period of about eight months and discovered that he embezzled over N50 million, then we sacked him.

“Having gone to this level the school wrote to NBTE as a regulatory body to alert them of what has happened and asking them to close down the satellite campuses. The first letter we wrote was in January. The Proprietor himself wrote the letter. Unfortunately, NBTE did not react to any of these letters.

“As soon as the man was released on bail he got one NGO (Non Governmental Organisation) Initiative for Citizens Rights to start writing petition against the school,” he stated.

One such letter written by the Proprietor of the Polytechnic, Dr Abdul Ganiyu Salami and addressed to the Executive Secretary of National Board for Technical Education, Kaduna on 28th April, 2023 sighted by Nigerian Tribune was entitled: “Request for Urgent Closure of Illegal Satellite Campuses of Novelty Polytechnic, Kishi, being Operated by Fraudsters”.

The letter reads in part: “I refer to my previous correspondences of January, February, March and the recent ones of 12th, 15th, 24th, and 25th April, 2023 respectively, relating to the above subject matter.

“My meeting with you at your Abuja Laison Office is also relevant after which followed a deluge of frivolous petitions by a fraudster, one Madiu AbdulBakai and his collaborators.”

“Madiu, just getting out of remand on bail on the criminal case in court over his embezzlement of over N50m from Novelty Polytechnic has engaged in a war of attrition against us.

“He and his group are still running the illegal Campuses he cunningly established through forged letters he wrote in my names and those of some previous staff of my Polytechnic (copies he attached to his petition to as of infractions against the Polytechnic.

“We have found out that he deliberately used my electronic signature in his custody and implanted same on the letters.

“He also forged my signature, giving approval to several educational institutions which initially requested to canvass and populate Novelty on commission. They used this avenue to establish campuses of NoveltyPoly.

“Novelty never applied to NBTE for Satellite campuses outside of Kishi nor does she have any approval to run any, hence we quickly did a public disclaimer on discovering the illegality.

“We are not an approving authority hence, “How could we ever give what we didn’t have”.

“Not only did we not direct the owners of these outfits to close down, we also, reported to NBTE and requested for support to shut down the, Abuja, Suleija, Bida, Mowe, Igando, Ibadan, Lagos, Agege etc, expecting Madiu and his collaborators to be sanctioned,” he said.

Ogundipe added the petitions flying against the school were calculated attempts to smear the name of the institution. (Nigerian Tribune)

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