Suspended LASUCOM Provost caught in dirty dealings as ally attempts N5.5M cover up

The last has not been heard of the financial scandal rocking LAGOS State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), Ikeja. It will be recalled that a couple of weeks ago, BlackBox Nigeria exclusively reported the news of the interdiction and subsequent suspension of the citadel’s erstwhile Provost, Professor Babatunde Akibu SOLAGBERU.

The embattled Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery BlackBox Nigeria have freshly gathered in a bid to reclaim his lost seat as the helmsman of the highly respected College dragged the University management to Court in an ex-parte motion.

Must read: BBN Exclusive: LASU suspends College of Medicine Provost over financial misconduct
The suspended Provost dragged Lasu authorities to court on Friday 15th December 2017, seeking for a declaration that his interdiction and suspension as Provost is illegal and thus prayed the Courts to reverse the decision of the University. His application at the Courts was thrown out and his quest for reinstatement suffered a major setback.

BlackBox Nigeria has however further gathered that Professor Solagberu have been making moves to cover up some alleged frauds reportedly perpetuated under his watch. It was learnt that soon after his case for reinstatement was quashed at the Court, a very close ally and confidant of the former Provost, Professor Joseph Abayomi OLAGUNJU have been making sinister moves which has raised suspicion.
Professor Olagunju BBN360 was reliably informed by a source who would prefer not to be mentioned, have been making efforts to make refunds to the covers of the Medical school. in order not to be caught in the web of financial improprieties he and the ousted Provost were engaged, Professor Olagunju has resorted to “refunds of some of their previously illegally acquired funds.”
The source further revealed that “this is a calculated attempt at cover-up, more so since the search light was not beamed on that particular shady deals that implicated the disgraced Provost.”

See also: LASU bars suspended provost, Professor Babatunde Solagberu, slashes his salary

Professor J.A. Olagunju according to multiple sources is believed in many quarters to be the brain behind the administrative and financial recklessness of the suspended Provost. He has also been reported as being the largest beneficiary of the illegal financial dealings, which included but not limited to collection of illegal and undeserved allowances retroactively to the tune of over N5.5m and another questionable sum of N350,000 for for the upgrade of his kitchen.

According to BlackBox Nigeria sources, the latest effort of Professor Joseph Olagunju who is the Dean Postgraduate School of Lagos State University and the Congregation Representative in the University Governing Council by the refund is aimed at achieving two things; isolate himself from the current travail of Professor Solagberu and make a pre-emptive move to stop a further search on him which may expose his involvement in various shady deals.

It was further revealed that on the 13th of December 2017, Professor Olagunju who had been out of town for almost two weeks, returned back to LASUCOM and procured a Manager’s Cheque Number 11291221 for the sum of N1,113,000 (One Million, One Hundred and Thirteen Thousand Naira) being refund for the money he obtained under false pretence of attending a Leadership Boot Camp and Performance Coaching Programme in Philadelphia, USA between November 7 – 9, 2016. Rather than attend the Boot Camp, he squandered the money on his son’s wedding that held the same period in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria and never attempted refunding the money until the bubbles burst and the rumour mill was rife with the information that he collected money for a workshop that was never attended. Smarter than his alter ego Professor Solagberu, he discreetly procured the draft and hurriedly submitted same with an accompanying letter, reference JAO/Per. Correct/Vol. 9/72 of Monday 18th December, 2017 to the Ag. Provost, Professor Anthonia Ogbera, since it is becoming clearer that all roads are constricting on him and his enfant terrible ousted Provost after the Court case was thrown out the previous Friday.

With this recent development, it behoves on the University Management to do a Forensic audit of the College account and report any financial infraction that bothers on fraud to both the EFCC and ICPC for thorough investigation. This and many other underhand dealings of the disgraced Former Provost will expose the extent of rot in the College and further justify the actions taken so far by the University Management and Governing Council.