The management of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE) has dismissed allegations of financial misconduct made by some undergraduate students of the institution.
In a statement, the Public Relations Officer of the university, Dr. Ngozi Okiridu, described the claims as baseless and unfounded, maintaining that IAUE remains one of the public universities in Nigeria with the lowest tuition fees.
Dr. Okiridu advised students to take advantage of Federal Government initiatives such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to ease the burden of fee payment rather than making accusations that lack merit. She further alleged that some of the students were being used in a sponsored smear campaign aimed at discrediting the university’s reputation.
Meanwhile, the Spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Darlington Nwauju, has urged Governor Siminalayi Fubara to address what he described as “excessive extortion” allegedly taking place in some tertiary institutions across the state.
In a telephone interview, Nwauju said recent findings revealed cases of financial irregularities, including multiple and unauthorized levies imposed on students. He appealed to authorities of tertiary institutions to review their fee structures and ensure transparency in financial dealings to prevent the exploitation of students.
