Tuition Fraud Rocks Achievers University Ex-Female Worker, students and staff Allegedly Defraud Institution of Over N457m

Achievers University has uncovered a massive tuition payment fraud involving a former female staff member, several students, and some university workers, with the institution claiming losses amounting to N457,508,645.

The development followed the conclusion of the university’s Students’ Fees Payment Audit Exercise on Friday, an investigation that reportedly exposed a sophisticated scheme carried out across three academic sessions.

Acting Vice-Chancellor of the Achievers university, Prof. Oyesoji Aremu, disclosed the findings in a statement made available to journalists on Monday.

According to the statement, the fraud was allegedly masterminded by a former bursary staff member who graduated from the university’s Department of Accounting before later securing employment in the institution’s bursary department. The suspect reportedly resigned from the university in April 2025.

The university explained that the suspect allegedly hacked into the institution’s payment portal and convinced students to pay their school fees into her personal bank account instead of the university’s official channels.

Authorities said a total of 320 students allegedly paid their tuition fees into the private account of the former worker between the 2023/2024, 2024/2025, and 2025/2026 academic sessions.

Despite the university not receiving the payments, the suspect was said to have fraudulently cleared the affected students on the school portal, enabling them to obtain financial clearance and continue academic activities without detection.

The statement further revealed that the students were allegedly lured into the scheme through promises of discounted fees and commission-based incentives.

Investigations also reportedly indicted 11 university staff members and 34 students accused of acting as agents by recruiting other students into the fraudulent arrangement. An external collaborator said to be working at the Federal Medical Centre Owo was also named in the report.

Prof. Aremu stated that all the affected students, including six student agents, would appear before the university’s disciplinary committee to explain their involvement and why they ignored the institution’s approved fee payment procedures.

He added that the 11 staff members implicated in the scandal would face the senior staff disciplinary committee, while the alleged mastermind is currently under police investigation and may face prosecution.

The acting Vice-Chancellor stressed that the university remains committed to transparency in handling the matter and preventing misinformation within the campus community.

He also disclosed that the institution would extend the audit exercise to include students who graduated within the last two academic sessions in a bid to uncover any additional irregularities.

The incident has sparked widespread reactions among students and education stakeholders, with many calling for stricter cybersecurity measures and tighter financial controls within tertiary institutions.