LASU dismisses Dean of Student Affairs over certificate racketeering

The management of the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, has removed the university’s Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Tajudeen Olumoko.

Olumoko’s removal comes on the heels of a report published by an online medium over alleged ongoing racketeering in LASU.

The report claimed that a certificate racketeering syndicate sold Lagos State University certificates from N2 million to N3 million to interested parties, depending on the intricacy of the course in question.

It was further fathered that a senior lecturer in the Department of Political Science, Dr. Abiodun Fatai-Abatan, has been appointed as the acting Dean of Student Affairs in place of the sacked Olumoko.

The management of LASU, in a statement issued on Wednesday by its spokesperson, Oluwayemisi Thomas-Onashile, it had been established that the management of the institution had promptly brought the original allegations to the attention of general law enforcement authorities, including the office of the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

Thomas-Onashile noted that the authorities have not yet concluded their investigations but the LASU management does not take such matters lightly.

Thomas-Onashile added that the university’s inquiries into the allegations will be concluded before the end of the year 2023.

READ ALSO: Prophet, lover boy sentenced to death for killing LASU student

“Consistently with applicable law, the outcome of the inquiry will be published and appropriate action will be taken,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, summoned the State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Tolani Akibu, the LASU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, the institution’s Senate, and other top staff over extortion and certificate racketeering allegations leveled against university.

The Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, ordered that the institution’s concerned authorities be invited so that facts concerning the claim can be found for the sake of the school’s reputation.

“I agree that the committee should invite those to be invited to establish facts about the allegation, but we must not because of that destroy our institution’s reputation,” Obasa, an alumnus of the institution, said adding that if anyone is found wanting, such a person should be sanctioned.

Moving the motion under ‘Matter of Urgent Public Importance’, Owolabi Ajani told the lawmakers that there was a need to invite the commissioner, the LASU VC, and others for the House to unravel the facts behind the allegation.

The Star