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ABUJA – The Federal Government has directed the vice chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), Professor Ikechukwu Dozie, to immediately withdraw the appointment of 24 aides in his office citing breaches in the process.
The directive was contained in a leaked memo from the Federal Ministry of Education on Thursday.
The memo dated June 25, 2026, and obtained by our correspondent, showed that the ministry faulted the appointments and directed the vice chancellor to reverse them “forthwith” and provide evidence of compliance without delay.
The letter, signed by the Acting Director of University Education, Dr. Kareem O. L., on behalf of the Minister of Education, described the appointments as irregular and inconsistent with regulations governing Nigeria’s federal universities.
The directive followed the ministry’s review of an internal university memorandum dated June 22, 2026, through which the appointments were reportedly made.
In the leaked communication, the ministry stated that after a careful examination of the appointments and the circumstances surrounding them, the minister observed that they were “at variance with the extant regulations, established procedures, and the principles of due process governing appointments within the Federal University System.”
The minister subsequently ordered the immediate withdrawal of the appointments and demanded documentary proof that the directive had been implemented.
According to the ministry, the directive signals an unusually strong intervention by the Federal Government in the administration of one of the country’s foremost technology universities and raises fresh questions about governance practices within federal tertiary institutions.
Beyond the order to cancel the appointments, the leaked letter also summoned the vice chancellor to Abuja for an urgent meeting with officials of the ministry on June 29.
According to the document, discussions at the meeting will extend beyond the controversial appointments to cover wider concerns relating to institutional governance, administrative accountability, due process, and compliance with the regulatory framework guiding federal universities.
The summons suggests that the ministry may be scrutinising broader administrative decisions within the institution amid growing concerns over adherence to established procedures.
“The ministry remains committed to promoting transparency, prudence and best practices in the management of our tertiary institutions,” the letter stated, while expressing confidence that the university would comply with the directive.
