Exposed: UniAbuja Suspends Professor, 2 others Over unethical practices.
A deliberate attempt by the current Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja,
Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi to clear the mess left by his predecessors in terms of discipline and corruption has begun to yield fruits as the University has suspended a professor and two senior lecturers over unethical practices, Business Africa Digest has learnt on good authority.
Painstaking search by this online newspaper revealed that while Professor Mohammed Yelwa, of Economics Department and former Director of Sultan Maccido’s Center was alleged to have been involved in unscrupulous practices, Doctors Uchenna Oyali and Adegboye Adeyanju were alleged to have changed examinations scores at Department of English.
Business Africa Digest gathered that since the assumption of duties by the new Vice Chancellor, Professor Hakeem Babatunde Fawehinmi, it has not been business as usual, at University of Abuja.
Two members of staff who preferred not to be identified told Business Africa Digest that while the administration of Professor Fawehinmi is pushing to sanitize the University against unethical practices, some senior staff, including a Professor who is also a Governing Council member are busy lobbying members of the University Governing Council and members of the Staff Disciplinary Committee to commute the gross misconduct offence that attracts dismissal or outright termination of appointment, to demotions of the staff contrary to the University Abuja conditions of service.
The University of Abuja Act, 16 (1) provides for the Discipline of Academic, Administrative and Professional Staff.
While a staff can be removed “from his office or employment on the ground of misconduct or of inability to perform the functions of his office or employment,” the employment of a staff could be terminated or dismissed from employment in the case of gross misconduct as examination malpractice. The same goes for the student. A student can be expelled for examination malpractice.
The prevailing slogan now being used to bend justice in the present circumstance is that those alleged to have contravened the conditions of service “have families,” and should be treated with kids gloves, making examination malpractice which is a gross misconduct in universities a less punishment at University of Abuja.
The anonymous staff said while the Vice Chancellor Professor Hakeem Babatunde insists that the law takes its course, the lobbyist are holding the grip on the Chairman of the University Governing Council and some University of Abuja Governing Council members that will ratify the decision of the Staff Disciplinary Committee report on whether or not to demote the affected staff.
Our investigation reveals that the disciplinary committee has already interrogated the alleged culprits as both Adeyanju and Oyali admitted to committing the offences.
The two anonymous academic staff familiar with the matter said while Uche said he changed the mark of Joseph Orjime on compassionate ground, Adeyanju said he admits all responsibilities.
As we speak the Senate of the University has already withdrawn the M.A degree in English awarded to Joseph Ojime, following the recommendation of the administrative panel set up by the Vice Chancellor, while the PhD admission given to same Joseph Ojime, following the discovery of the academic fraud was also withdrawn.
Findings by this medium are decisions taken from the 194th Regular Meeting of Senate of the University of Abuja held on 29th April 2026, following the recommendations of the Administrative Investigating Panel set up by the Vice Chancellor.
It was this same panel that recommended the suspensions of the Professor and the 2 senior lecturers.
The three academics are currently facing Staff Disciplinary Committee for the final decisions, either to terminate or dismiss the affected staff.
Business Africa Digest believes that It’s the unknown impending actions that caused the intensive lobby to commute the gross misconduct offence to demotions to their previous ranks, instead of sacking them for gross misconduct.
Actions from the University Vice Chancellor at this time would determine whether he is interested in checkmating and stop the current wave of indiscipline, corruption and other unethical practices prevalent in the institution before his taking over the helm of affairs.
Efforts at reaching the Registrar and the University’s Image maker proved abortive as text messages and phone calls were not returned.
