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FIIRO Restores Demoted Officer’s Salary Amidst Fraud Trial
An end seems not to be in sight in the crisis at the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, Lagos State, as a demoted officer, Chima Igwe, who was asked to refund salaries he collected for 18 years, has been made a director.
A memo purportedly signed by the Acting Director of Human Resource Management, L.A. Enwerem, dated July 14, 2022, ordered that he should also be paid the salary of a director.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission is currently prosecuting Igwe before the Lagos State Special Offences Court, Ikeja, for giving false information to his employers.
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), had ordered the ICPC to charge the officer to court after the anti-graft agency discovered that he earned salaries with a phantom PhD for 18 years.
He had claimed he got the certificate from the Universite D’ Abomey Calavi, Benin Republic, in 2001 and based on that had got undeserved promotions and salaries.
After the controversies generated by the scandal, Igwe returned to the Benin varsity and was formally awarded a PhD in 2020.
Igwe, a former acting director-general, was demoted by the former FIIRO board led by Alhaji Ibrahim Gwarzo, after the academic fraud became public knowledge.
The board also ordered him to refund the salaries he earned fraudulently.
The board’s decisions did not go down well with a former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, who favoured Igwe to head the organisation and wrote the President several times to demand his confirmation as substantive DG.
Onu later dissolved the board and installed some acolytes, who overruled some of the decisions of the former board.
The new board Chairman, Alhaji Magaji Gambo, had rued Igwe’s trial, saying it would not affect the agency’s dealings with him.
Sources at FIIRO told our correspondent that the demoted officer had been attending management meetings and acting as a director.
Our correspondent sighted a memo dated August 12, 2022, and purportedly signed by Igwe in his capacity as the Director of Chemical, Fibre and Environmental Technology Department.
The human resources director, Enwerem, in his memo, titled, ‘Reinstatement on position and salary,’ and addressed to the Senior Administrative Officer, ordered that Igwe’s salary as director be restored.
The memo read, “I write to draw your attention to the report of the ministerial committee on FIIRO and the resolution of the Governing Board, dated March 1, 2022, as well as the affirmation of the management committee at a meeting held on June 22, 2022.
“Please, you are hereby directed to reinstate Dr Igwe to his position as Director (CFET) on the nominal roll as well as his salary on IPPIS platform, status quo ante. This is for your strict and immediate compliance and implementation.”
A senior official of the institute stated that the board was only doing the bidding of the former minister.
He said, “There is no basis for his reinstatement. A letter was sent to him (Igwe) in 2021 for his demotion because of the fake certificate he presented.
“The present board itself was instituted by Ogbonnaya Onu and they are simply doing his bidding. It is this same interest that made Onu dissolve the former board because they refused his demands. The staff members of the institute reject the reinstatement of Chima Igwe.
“There is a presidential directive given through the report of the Head of Service that he (Igwe) should go back to being a Chief Research Officer.”
The Joint Action Committee, consisting of all the labour unions in the institute, in a letter to the new Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Senator Adeleke Mamora, demanded the return of Igwe to his position as Chief Research Officer.
The letter, dated July 19, 2022, was signed by the Chairperson of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Education Institutions, Florence Ogunleye; Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions, Zeberu Elakhame; the Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Universities’ Teaching Hospitals Research Institutes and Associated Institutions, Togunde Mumeen.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, and the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, were copied.
The group said, “To the shock of all staff and well-meaning watchers all over the world, the present Mogaji-led board, in an office notice signed by a deputy director reinstated Igwe to the position of Director, in contravention of the directive of Mr President (Annex VIII).
“The action of the board is against the law of equity and natural justice, as a good number of researchers have been denied promotion and stagnated for several years over lack of PhD; and the action has demoralised the staff immediately.
“We hereby appeal to you to use your good offices to mitigate the above stated matters threatening the progress and survival of the institute, as stakeholders all over the world are watching with keen interest.
“Direct that Dr C.C. Igwe should revert to the post of Chief Research Officer: a post commensurate to his qualification and post-doctoral graduation experience as he continues to face his prosecution at the Special Offences Court by the ICPC in Ikeja, Lagos.”
Enwerem, when contacted by our correspondent on Monday, said he was not obliged to give any information regarding the institute.
The current Director-General, Jummai Tutuwa, said she was not aware of the matter.
She said, “I am not aware of anything because none of the directors briefed me on it. The first management meeting that we had, I just saw him formally introducing himself as Dr Chima Igwe, that is all.”
The board Chairman, Gambo, ended the call after PUNCH journalist.
Our reporter called back 17 times and sent two text messages, but he did not respond.
The spokesperson for the Head of Service of the Federation, Abdulganiyu Aminu, said he was not aware of the reinstatement.
The overseeing minister, Mamora, said he was in a meeting and could not respond immediately.
News
Oyo 2027: Adelabu Quits As Power Minister To Focus On Guber Race
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu has formally resigned from his position in the Federal Government to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
In a resignation letter dated April 22, 2026, and addressed to the President, Adelabu stated that his resignation will take effect on April 30, 2026, to enable him to focus on his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
The letter, routed through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, stated that he was stepping down with “a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude.”
He wrote, “I write with a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude to formally tender my resignation as the Honourable Minister of Power of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This resignation is to take effect on 30th April 2026, in order to allow sufficient time for a smooth and orderly handover of responsibilities.”
Adelabu thanked the President for the opportunity to serve, describing his appointment as a privilege.
He said, “Your Excellency, I remain sincerely grateful for the privilege and confidence you reposed in me by appointing me to serve our great nation in this capacity.
“It has been a rare honour to contribute to national development under your leadership and to play a role in advancing reforms in the power sector—one of the most critical foundations of Nigeria’s industrial growth and economic transformation.”
The former minister said his resignation was to enable him focus fully on his governorship ambition in Oyo State, citing provisions of the amended electoral law.
He added, “My decision to step down is informed by my intention to focus fully on my gubernatorial ambition in Oyo State. This aspiration, which dates back to 2016 during my service as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, ultimately led to my voluntary resignation from the Central Bank in 2018 in order to pursue the same goal.”
“In line with the provisions of the Amended Electoral Act 2026, which preclude political office holders from contesting elections, I consider it both appropriate and necessary to resign at this time.”
Adelabu’s exit marks a major political development ahead of the next electoral cycle, particularly in Oyo State, where he is expected to contest the governorship election.
News
Wale Edun, Musa Dangiwa Resigned Voluntarily, Not Sacked – Presidency
The Presidency has clarified that Wale Edun (former Finance Minister) and Ahmed Musa Dangiwa (former Housing Minister) voluntarily resigned from their positions and were not sacked by President Tinubu.
In a statement released this evening April 22, presidential media aide, Bayo Onanuga, said that contrary to public opinions, Wale Edun resigned on health grounds while Dangiwa also tendered his resignation and thanked the President for the opportunity given him to serve in the Federal Executive Council.
Onanuga stated that Edun, who clocked 70 on Monday and has battled recent ill health, fittingly submitted his resignation letter on his birthday, thanking the President for the opportunity to serve Nigeria.
“It has been a pleasure and privilege to serve your administration and the Renewed Hope Agenda, Under your leadership, Nigeria has emerged stronger, more resilient and more internationally respected. I wish you and the administration every success in the future” he wrote
Onanuga stated that on Tuesday, before the Office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation announced his departure from the Cabinet, Edun paid a valedictory visit to the President at the Villa and held an hour-long discussion with the president and then left to focus on his private businesses.
The presidential aide stated that President Tinubu has expressed deep appreciation to Edun and Dangiwa for their dedicated service and significant contributions to the administration’s economic reform programme and wished them continued success in their future endeavours.
‘’In the same vein, the President has urged the new Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, to consolidate ongoing reforms and advance the administration’s fiscal and economic objectives with renewed focus, discipline, and innovation.
President Tinubu will shortly send the ministerial nominee for housing, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, also from Katsina, like Dangiwa, to the Senate for confirmation” the statement concluded
News
Unity Bank, Experts Advocate Green Investment, Climate Innovation To Drive Economic Resilience
Nigeria’s retail lender, Unity Bank Plc, alongside leading climate innovation experts, has called for increased investment in the green economy and the adoption of frontier technologies as critical pathways to driving economic resilience and reducing the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations across Africa.
The call was made during a thought-provoking webinar hosted by the Bank to commemorate this year’s Earth Day, themed “The True Cost of Climate Change and Who Pays?”. Climate experts and stakeholders convened to examine the human, economic, and institutional costs of climate change, while spotlighting practical solutions to address its growing impact.
In his opening remarks, Unity Bank’s Head of Strategy and Innovation, Ibukun Coker, emphasised the urgency of addressing climate risks from both a societal and business perspective.
He said: “Climate change is no longer a distant or abstract challenge. It is an existential threat with direct consequences for individuals, businesses, and economies. At Unity Bank, we recognise the role institutions must play in incorporating sustainability in project financing, supporting businesses and promoting solutions that build resilience in communities where we operate.”
The webinar featured Chinwe Udo-Davis, Founder and CEO of Instollar, and Oluwatosin Ajide, Programme Manager at the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre, both of whom provided insights into the drivers of climate change and the pathways to mitigation and adaptation.
Speaking during the session, Udo-Davis highlighted the disproportionate burden which climate change places on underserved communities and the need for inclusive solutions.
“The true cost of climate change is not evenly distributed. Communities with the least resources are often the most affected, whether through energy poverty, environmental degradation, or limited access to sustainable alternatives. Addressing this imbalance requires intentional investment in clean energy solutions that are both accessible and scalable.”
Ajide underscored the importance of coordinated, system-wide approaches in tackling climate challenges, particularly through innovation and policy alignment.
“Climate change is fundamentally a structural problem, and its solution requires a paradigm shift: from innovation and policy to financing and implementation. Stakeholders must work collaboratively to drive solutions that are sustainable and inclusive.”
The session also explored emerging opportunities in climate technology, renewable energy, and ecosystem financing, reinforcing the role of innovation and cross-sector collaboration in building long-term resilience.
By hosting the webinar, Unity Bank continues to demonstrate its commitment to advancing sustainability-focused dialogue and supporting initiatives that promote responsible growth and environmental stewardship.
The initiative underscores the Bank’s broader strategic focus on environmental sustainability as well as its commitment to financial inclusion.
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