The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), Prof. Ikechukwu Dozie, has reversed the appointment of 24 personal aides following the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Education, which described the appointments as irregular and contrary to established regulations.
The decision came as the Vice-Chancellor was summoned to appear before officials of the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja on Monday, June 29, to explain the circumstances surrounding the appointments.
The withdrawal of the appointments was communicated to members of the university community in a circular signed by the Registrar, Chiedozie Uba.
The circular, dated June 24, 2026, stated that all the appointments announced two days earlier had been cancelled with immediate effect.
According to the registrar, the directive followed instructions from the university management.
“Please refer to our memo Ref: FUT/REG/CR/CIR.4 dated June 22, 2026, on the above subject.
“I have been directed to notify the University Community that all the appointments previously conveyed through the above-quoted memo are hereby withdrawn with immediate effect,” the circular stated.
The reversal came shortly after the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, directed the university to immediately withdraw the appointments and provide documentary evidence confirming compliance.
The minister’s directive was contained in a letter signed on his behalf by the Acting Director of University Education, Dr. Kareem Olalekan.
Although the letter was not officially released to the public, it later surfaced online and revealed the ministry’s concerns over the appointments.
In the letter, the ministry described the appointments as inconsistent with the rules guiding appointments in federal universities.
According to the ministry, the appointments did not comply with existing regulations, approved procedures and the principles of due process that govern personnel matters in Nigeria’s federal university system.
Part of the letter read: “The attention of the Honourable Minister of Education has been drawn to your Memorandum Ref. No. FUT/REG/CR/CIR/4 dated 22 June 2026 concerning the appointment of twenty-four (24) aides in various capacities within the Office of the Vice-Chancellor.
“Upon careful consideration of the contents of the memorandum and the circumstances surrounding the appointments, the Honourable Minister is constrained to observe that the appointments, as presently constituted, are irregular and are at variance with the extant regulations, established procedures, and the principles of due process governing appointments within the Federal University System.”
The ministry therefore directed the university to immediately cancel the appointments and forward evidence that the instruction had been carried out.
It further warned that compliance with the directive should not be delayed.
“In light of the foregoing, I am directed to request that the said memorandum be withdrawn forthwith and that documentary evidence confirming the withdrawal be forwarded to the ministry without delay in compliance with the directive of the Honourable Minister,” the letter added.
The development has attracted attention within the university community and the wider education sector because of the unusually high number of aides reportedly appointed to serve in the Vice-Chancellor’s office.
Although details of the specific responsibilities assigned to the 24 aides were not made public, the appointments generated widespread debate after the memo announcing them became public.
The Federal Ministry of Education supervises federal universities and is responsible for ensuring that their operations comply with relevant laws, regulations and government policies.
Appointments within federal universities are generally expected to follow laid-down procedures, including approval processes, staffing guidelines and financial regulations designed to ensure transparency and accountability.
The summoning of the Vice-Chancellor suggests that the ministry intends to obtain a full explanation of the circumstances that led to the appointments and determine whether any further administrative action may be necessary.
Prof. Dozie is expected to meet ministry officials in Abuja on Monday, June 29, where the issue will be discussed.
The meeting is likely to provide the Vice-Chancellor with an opportunity to explain the rationale behind the appointments and the processes that led to their approval before they were later withdrawn.
The incident comes at a time when the Federal Government has continued to emphasise accountability, transparency and adherence to due process in the administration of public institutions, including federal universities.
In recent years, the Ministry of Education has taken a more active role in monitoring compliance with regulations governing appointments, procurement and financial management across tertiary institutions.
University administrators have also been reminded on several occasions to ensure that all official actions conform to existing laws and public service guidelines.
FUTO, established in 1980 and located in Owerri, Imo State, is one of Nigeria’s leading universities of technology.
The institution offers programs in engineering, science, technology, environmental studies and other professional disciplines, and has produced thousands of graduates who have contributed to national development.
The latest development has therefore attracted significant public interest because it involves the administrative leadership of one of the country’s foremost federal universities.
While the immediate withdrawal of the appointments appears to have addressed the ministry’s directive, attention will now shift to Monday’s meeting in Abuja.
For now, the appointments have been officially withdrawn, and the university management is expected to comply fully with the ministry’s instructions as the matter continues to unfold.