Varsity Workers Petition EFCC Over Alleged Corruption by Acting VC

Staff members at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) have filed a petition with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accusing the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Kate Omenugha, of corruption, including contract racketeering and misuse of authority. The petition, signed by Joseph Onu, managing consultant at Shield and Sword Consult, claims that Omenugha violated due process in awarding contracts, particularly for the 2024 TETFund Project.

According to the petition, the Vice-Chancellor awarded contracts without public notifications or adherence to the Public Procurement Act, and the biometric capturing project was allegedly given to an inactive company with conflicts of interest. The petition also claims that the facelift of the University Gate House and other projects were initiated by Omenugha and her family, bypassing the university’s director of Physical Planning and Valuation.

The staff also alleged that the Vice-Chancellor introduced a family-owned brand, KONCIO Table Water, within the university and monopolized the water market despite council objections. A similar project for solar street lighting at the College of Medicine in Amaku was claimed to have been poorly executed, with the contract funds allegedly funneled into the account of Omenugha’s family members.

Further allegations include the misallocation of funds for student identification cards and attempts to extort money through the award of the 2023 TETFUND Annual Intervention for a new Department of Architecture building.

In response, COOU’s management dismissed the petition, calling it a deliberate attempt to tarnish the reputation of the Acting Vice-Chancellor. The university’s spokesperson, Harrison Madubueze, stated that no law enforcement agency had communicated any petition, suggesting the allegations were linked to efforts to hinder Omenugha’s appointment as the university’s substantive Vice-Chancellor. Madubueze praised Omenugha for leading transformative changes across the university.