Authorities of the University of Benin, Edo State, on
Tuesday, ordered the arrest of a senior lecturer in the institution over
allegations of extortion.
The arrest followed a sting operation by the authorities,
which reportedly led to the bursting of a syndicate that specialised in
extortion of students, and the arrest of an Assistant Dean, at the Faculty of
Law.
Men from the university’s security unit arrested the
lecturer, said to be a kingpin in the syndicate, after he allegedly collected
marked money from a female undergraduate.
The don, according to unconfirmed sources, represents his
faculty in a committee constituted by management to coordinate students’
inter-faculty movement during the academic session.
The lecturer, it was said, demanded N150, 000 from the
student to facilitate her move from the English Department, in Faculty of Art,
to the Law faculty.
The student, unable to come up with the money, reported
the matter to another lecturer, who encouraged her to formally lodge a
complaint with the school authority, a source that pleaded anonymity, said.
The student it was learnt was directed to play along. She
called the lecturer and told him she could only afford N100, 000.
The lecturer, it was said, directed her to pay into a bank
account number.
The student was, however, instructed to deliver the money
to him at the office.
Men from the institution’s security unit swooped on the
lecturer as soon as he collected the marked money and handed him over to the
police.
Said a source, “When his office was searched, security
personnel discovered a list containing names of 18 students, including the
female student.”
Confirming the story, the university’s Public Relations
Officer, Harrison Osarenren, said the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Godwin Oshodin had
been briefed on the development.
He said, “The Vice-Chancellor, who
frowns at such act and who has consistently preached against extortion of any
kind, will ensure that appropriate sanction is meted out to those found
culpable.”
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