A High court sitting in Lapai Local Government Area of Niger State, has ordered the seizure of vehicles belonging to Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU) following a suit filed by an embattled lecturer who was disengaged over a sex scandal.
According to Crusader Radio, the lecturer was suspended in 2019 after a student wrote a letter to the university’s management alleging that the lecturer harassed her.
READ: EXPLAINED: Withheld N150m, Blackout, Trespass… Why IBBU Staff Want VC, One Other Removed
However, the lecturer sued the management to court where the latter, according to the court, could not prove the allegation against the plaintiff. Thereafter, the management was asked to reinstate the lecturer and pay his three years salary being held, but it refused.
VARSITY’S VEHICLES FOR AUCTIONING
Following the university’s refusal to pay off the lecturer’s salary, the court, according to an insider, gave order to the police that any vehicle belonging to the university be seized for auctioning.
“Now, the court has mandated the seizure of all kinds of vehicles belonging to the university,” said the insider. “Their three vehicles have been confiscated — one from the office of the Liberian, transport officer and another from the VC office.”
READ: ‘We Are Still On Strike’ — IBBU-ASUU Debunks Resumption Plan By Management
According to him, more vehicles would be seized should the management refuse to obey the court’s order. Proceeds from the auctioning would be used to settle the lecturer’s salaries, WikkiTimes learnt.
ABU IN A SIMILAR MESS
Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Kaduna was also thrown into a similar shock IBB University experienced, as the National Industrial Court ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to directly withdraw N2.5 billion to compensate 110 staff of the institutions who were disengaged in 1996.
Founded in October 1962 and named after the first Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the university “Cannot afford to pay its cleaners or buy toiletries and now relies on proceeds from tree felling to run administrative costs, ” a senior staff of the university told Daily Trust.
In defence, the institution’s Director of Public Affairs Directorate, Auwalu Umar argued that a severe wind was responsible for the felling of trees three weeks ago. However, some of the trees were as old as 40 years, which compelled the school to cut them.
READ: Neglected Abuja Community Where Access To Water Is Seasonal
Also, sources confirmed that court bailiffs have paid a visit to the school and numbered all official vehicles for feasible auction.
It was further gathered that the financial status of the school is responsible for its delayed resumption of academic activities after members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), called off its eight months strike action within the month.
WikkiTimes recalls that the senate of ABU at its 516 emergency meeting held on October 19, 2022, stated that it revised the calendar earlier approved by the senate in November 2021.
While the school reopens on October 24, academic activities will commence on January 3, 2023, for the continuation of the first semester.
“Virtually this order by the court has been carried out and what has happened now is that ABU does not have a dime in its account,” said a senior management staff of the institution who confirmed that court bailiffs have in the last few days visited the school and numbered official cars to be auctioned.
READ: Abuja-based Activist Brutalises Police Orderly for Refusing ‘Domestic Chores’
“It has reached the level that ABU cannot even afford to buy toiletries,” another source stated.
Daily Trust reports that in 1996, the then Sole Administrator of ABU, General Mamman Kontagora, terminated the appointment of 110 staff of the university, but in 2012, the staff challenged their unlawful termination and obtained a court order directing the university to reinstate them and pay them all outstanding salaries and allowances.
Failure to succumb to the judgment forced the staff to institute a garnishee proceeding in which the CBN and three commercial banks were involved.
