UDUS Dismisses Staff Member Over Alleged NYSC Mobilisation Fraud, Signals Shift on Transparency

The Governing Council of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto has approved the dismissal of a staff member, Garba Ahmed, over his alleged involvement in the illegal mobilisation of unqualified students for the National Youth Service Corps scheme.

The decision was reached at the university’s 176th Governing Council meeting held on April 1, 2026, according to a statement issued by the institution’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Ismaila Yauri.

Ahmed, who served in the university’s Registry Department prior to his dismissal, was found guilty of gross misconduct linked to the unauthorised upload of ineligible candidates for NYSC mobilisation.

The development marks a notable shift in the university’s disciplinary disclosure practices, as the institution publicly identified the dismissed staff member—an approach not commonly adopted in previous cases involving staff misconduct.

The move follows scrutiny triggered by an earlier report by International Centre for Investigative Reporting, which criticised the university’s handling of disciplinary actions. The report highlighted a pattern in which the institution disclosed identities of expelled students while withholding the names of staff sanctioned for serious offences, including result manipulation and sexual harassment.

The report sparked broader concerns over transparency and accountability within the university system, with stakeholders questioning perceived inconsistencies in disciplinary communication.

While the university has not directly linked the latest disclosure to the report, the decision to name the dismissed staff member is being viewed as a departure from past practice and an indication of a possible shift toward greater institutional transparency in matters of public interest.