Abia State Launches Probe into University Harassment Claims

The Abia State Executive Council has formed a five-member special investigative committee to probe recent allegations of harassment and extortion involving students and lecturers at Abia State University in Uturu. Okei Kanu, the State Commissioner for Information, disclosed this during a briefing in Umuahia following a meeting led by Governor Alex Otti.

The committee, chaired by Pastor Caleb Ajagba, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, includes Dodoh Okafor as the secretary and members Chinedu Ekek, Idowu Eluwa, and Lawrence Idemudua. The committee's terms of reference include identifying perpetrators, making appropriate recommendations, and investigating two allegations of bribery against lecturers, as well as allegations of forged certificates.

The panel is expected to work closely with the university's governing council and aims to restore Abia State University as a center of learning and excellence. Additionally, Kanu announced the commencement of the 2026 annual school census across the state to provide reliable data for educational planning.