President Bola Tinubu has approved the removal of Engr. Ohieku Muhammed Salami as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue State.
This is contained in a statement released on Wednesday, by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The statement reads, “The decision followed Salami’s illegal actions, including suspending the Vice-Chancellor without following the prescribed procedures.”
He explained that despite the Federal Ministry of Education’s call for the unlawful suspension to be revoked, Salami refused to comply.
“Instead, he resorted to abusive and threatening behaviour towards the Ministry’s Directors, including the Permanent Secretary,” Onanuga added.
In October, the pioneer Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUHSO) in Benue State, Prof. Innocent Ujah, was suspended.
A statement issued by James Onogwu, the Coordinator of Information, Publication, and Public Relations at the institution, on behalf of the Registrar, announced the suspension of Professor Innocent Ujah as Vice Chancellor of the university due to allegations of gross misconduct and willful disregard for authority.
Prof. Ediga Bede Agbo was appointed as the acting Vice Chancellor of the university.
The statement, released on Monday night, revealed that the decision was made during a special meeting of the Governing Council on October 17, 2024. The meeting, chaired by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Engr. Ohieku Muhammed Salami, also resulted in the suspension of Professor Ujah.
“The Pro Chancellor, Chairman of the Governing Council, and members of the Council, during the meeting, suspended the pioneer Vice Chancellor, Professor Innocent Ujah, mni, OON, NPOM, for alleged gross misconduct and willful disregard for its authority,” the statement noted.
It further mentioned that the new acting Vice Chancellor, a respected professor of microbiology and a native of Otukpo, Benue State, is in his sixties.