The management of Olivet College of Health Technology, Azuba, in the Shabu Development Area of Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, has raised concerns after discovering more than 11 unregistered students allegedly using the institution’s letterhead paper in various medical laboratory facilities across the state for practical experience.

The Proprietor of the Health College, Dr. Abu Cletus, made the disclosure during a press briefing on Wednesday in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.

While decrying the ugly situation, he appealed to the Law Enforcement Agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, the Medical Laboratory Council of Nigeria, and the Nasarawa State Ministry of Health, to launch a detailed investigation into the matter with a view to unravelling the rationale behind their action.

Dr. Cletus noted that the school’s management discovered the anomaly following rumours that students from the Department of Medical Laboratory Technology at Olivet College of Health Technology, Azuba, were being diverted to a school of Health Technology in the Nasarawa Eggon LGA of the state.

The proprietor, however, explained that the school decided to investigate the situation when it observed that some students, who were not from Olivet College and allegedly claiming to be their students, had been posted to medical laboratory facilities for practical experience.

He said, “In one of the facilities, a medical laboratory practical in Lafia, a letter-headed paper bearing Olivet College of Health Technology, Azuba, carrying our post office mail bag number was used. The design of the letter-headed paper is different from ours. Four students were posted using that letter-headed paper. The letter-headed paper bears the Olivet College of Health Technology Medical Laboratory department stamp, signature and phone number of the Head of department, but omitted the college website.

“In another Centre in Akwanga, some students who are not our students were added to the list of our students posted for practical experience in that facility. The letter-headed paper used here is our official letter-headed paper bearing the Medical Laboratory Technology Department Stamp and signature, and the Phone Number of the HOD.

“In a third facility in Keffi, 10 students from our school were posted, and seven students who are not our students were included using our original letter heading bearing the stamp of the Department of Medical Laboratory and signature, and phone number of the HOD.”

The proprietor expressed shock while questioning the students who claimed to be students of the Nasarawa Eggon Campus of Olivet College of Health Technology.

He, therefore, clarified that the Olivet College of Health Technology, Azuba, has no other branch(s) and currently has no distance learning programmes.

He added, “Any person dealing with any fraudulent staff of the school is doing that at his or her own risk. If there is any transaction, that could only be with the administration office.

“Reports have been made to the relevant law enforcement agencies.

“The Nasarawa State Police Command, the Department of State Security, the Nasarawa State Ministry of Health, the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists, the Medical Laboratory Council of Nigeria, and the Federal Ministry of Health are to please take note.” (The Guardian)