By; SANI ALIYU, Zaria.
Federal College of Education (FCE), Zaria has set up a committee to investigate the N26 million students’ registration scandal which many students of the college fall victim.
Some affected students, who pleaded for anonymity said that they had paid their money into the account given by the college in the First Bank, Zaria main branch at Sabon Gari, but to their greatest dismay, they said the money did not go into the account.
“As we are talking to you now, our name is not captured as a registered students and we are not the only ones affected, over 1,000 students are now facing similar problem and all categories of students are affected,” the students said.
“We have the payment teller and the registration slip with us. However, they said we have not registered.”
Another source said that a large number of students were now stranded as they did not know what to do, because most of them did not have the money to re-register.
Some people accused the management of the college and some staff from First Bank, Zaria main branch of masterminding the entire process to reap the financial benefit for selected few.
When contacted, the Registrar of the College, Dr Jibril Lawal confirmed the incident but debunked the allegation that management was involved in the registration scandal.
“The management had constituted a committee under the Chairmanship of the College Bursar, Mohammed Sani-Uwais to thoroughly investigate the matter and report back to the College management.”
On his part, the Bursar said payment of 1,128 students did not drop on the TSA account, while another 82 students have irregular record, adding that over 99 per cent of the victims paid their money in First Bank of Nigeria, Zaria main branch.
“This is a serious issue, as such, we reported the case to the police and police advised us to come back and set-up an investigation committee to investigate the matter, which we did.
“We have gone a long way in discharging our responsibilities. When a student appeared before us, we ask him how did you make the payment? Whom did you pay to (can you identify him)?
“We want to trace where the problem is and also who and who are involved in the shoddy deal and report back to the management for further action,” he said.
Sani-Uwais said on assumption of duty as the committee chairman, he narrowly escaped assassination apart from many threats to his life via SMS messages.
When contacted for their own side of the story, management of First Bank of Nigeria, Zaria main branch declined comment, saying that they do not have the authority to speak to the press except their Corporate Affairs Division in Lagos.
However, an anonymous source at the bank said that the staff who allegedly connived with some officials of the college to perpetrate the evil had since resigned before the problem was exposed.
Responding on the issue, the Spokesperson, Kaduna State Police Command, ASP Aliyu Usman confirmed that the case was reported to Zaria Area Command and investigation into the matter had begun.
“One of the prime suspects had been arrested and investigation is still ongoing.”
At the time of filing this report, a reliable source told New Nigerian that already the case has been in court before Chief Magistrate Benjamin Hassan at Kings Road, Sabon Gari, Zaria and the case was adjourned to 11th October, 2016 for hearing.
