The management of Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, has confirmed the identity of a suspected fraudster, Abdulaziz Yusuf Okadigbo, who was recently arrested by law enforcement authorities in Lokoja for allegedly attempting to defraud individuals and corporate organizations, including Dangote Cement.
In a statement issued by the institution’s Director of Public Relations and Protocol, Uredo Omale, the Polytechnic revealed that the suspect had been fraudulently using the institution’s name, identity, and logo to solicit funds from both local and international entities.
According to the statement, Okadigbo, in connivance with a staff member from the School of Environmental Technology, established a fake entity named the Environmental Resource Information Centre (ERIC).
The fraudulent center was falsely presented as an official unit of the Polytechnic and used to approach various organizations for funding.
“We are in possession of documents confirming that Abdulaziz Yusuf Okadigbo and his cohort used the fake Centre, ERIC, to solicit funds from Federal and State government agencies, Dangote Cement Company, and corporate bodies in China, the USA, Kenya, and Sweden, among others,” the statement read.
The institution categorically stated that Okadigbo is neither a staff member nor a recognized representative of the Polytechnic and was never authorized to act on its behalf or use its insignia.
“The Law establishing the Polytechnic confers such authorisation solely on the Governing Council. At no time did the Council or any authority acting on its behalf approve the operations of the so-called Environmental Resource Information Centre (ERIC),” the statement emphasized.
The Polytechnic described the actions of the suspect as a gross violation of public trust, criminal impersonation, and a serious breach of institutional integrity.
It further confirmed that a staff member implicated in the fraudulent scheme is currently under internal investigation and may face administrative and legal consequences.
The management warned the public, corporate organizations, and government agencies to disregard any request for support or funding made by the suspect or his associates in the name of the institution. It stressed that such requests are illegal, null, and void.
The statement also cautioned against any attempt to politicize or misrepresent the case, or to blackmail the Polytechnic in an effort to derail the course of justice.
“The law must be allowed to take its full course without interference, intimidation, or emotional manipulation,” the institution declared.
Kogi State Polytechnic reiterated its commitment to transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct in all its affairs, and pledged continued collaboration with law enforcement to expose and sanction fraudulent activities.
