Nasarawa College Rector Sentenced to 7 Years for Running Unaccredited Courses, Defrauding Students
Court jails private college rector for running fake programs and defrauding students in Nasarawa.
Judge orders full refunds as ICPC vows tougher action against academic fraud in tertiary education.
A Federal High Court in Lafia, Nasarawa State, has sentenced Mr. Olaniran Satiregun, Rector of the International College of Administration, Science and Technology, to seven years in prison for operating unauthorized academic programs and defrauding students.
The conviction was announced on Tuesday in a statement issued by Demola Bakare, spokesperson for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The commission stated that Satiregun knowingly admitted students into unapproved courses, including Nursing, Public Health, and Computer Science, between 2019 and 2021.
According to the ICPC, the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) had only accredited four specific programs for the college. However, Satiregun and the institution ignored the guidelines and enrolled unsuspecting students into unaccredited programs.
Lead prosecutor Adesina Raheem presented evidence that one victim, identified as Onmonya Daniel Ogah, paid ₦110,000 for admission and tuition into a fake three-year course, one of several illicit admissions during the period under investigation.
Delivering judgment, Justice Anyalewa Onoja-Alapa found Satiregun guilty on all counts and sentenced him to seven years imprisonment without the option of a fine. The judge also ordered the college to refund all tuition and fees collected from affected students enrolled in the unapproved programs.
In addition, the court directed the institution to limit its operations strictly to the courses accredited by the NBTE.
