Chima Igwe, a former Director-General of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO) is currently cooling his heels in prison over alleged fake Ph.D certificate.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (lCPC) had arraigned Igwe on Friday, Nov. 12 for allegedly collecting salaries for about 18 years with a fake Ph.D certificate.
He is also being tried for using false or fake Ph.D certificate and using his office to confer corrupt and unfair advantage.
Justice Sherifat Solebo of an Ikeja Special Offences Court ordered Igwe to be remanded in a ruling.
Persecondnews recalls that the crisis at FIIRO started smouldering after the immediate past DG of the institute, Prof. Gloria Elemo, exited office in April 2019.
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The Governing Board had rejected
Igwe’s appointment as acting DG when the Ph.D he submitted to enable him to gain promotions for over 18 years became a matter for investigation by the ICPC.
But Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, overruled the board, insisting that he should be the acting DG.
The ICPC investigation confirmed that the doctorate which he claimed he obtained at the Universite D’Abomey Calavi, Benin Republic, in 2001, was non-existent, and was removed.
Summarily, lgwe was demoted to the position he held more than 18 years ago, a decision which pitted the board against the minister, who began moves to reinstate Igwe.
Onu wrote President Muhammadu Buhari asking him to confirm lgwe as substantive DG.
The then board Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Gwarzo, fired back, insisting that Igwe deserved prosecution and not reinstatement for the fraud he committed.
In a letter dated September 7, 2021, President Buhari rejected Onu’s request to confirm Igwe and ordered the ICPC to prosecute him for giving false information to his employers.
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