Court jails proprietor of illegal varsity

THE National Universities Commission (NUC) has recorded a major feat in its fight against illegal universities as it has secured the conviction of  Mr Francis John Agbo,  proprietor of the illegal Middle Belt University and North Central University on a two-count charge of impersonation and forgery.
Mr Agbo, who also posed as the Director of Research and Innovation of the commission, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison, without an option of fine by Honourable Ali Tari Changbo of the Upper Area Court, Keffi, Nasarawa State.
The convict also claimed to be a senior academic staff of the Nasarawa State University, Lafia, to defraud unsuspecting admission seeking members.
The evidence tendered before the court by the prosecuting counsel, Mr Aaron Zamani, a legal officer with NUC, included fake admission letters and fliers advertising Nasarawa State University, Lafia; testimonies of witnesses, some of them victims; tellers of Unity Bank as well as Aso Savings and Loans, Otukpo, which bore his name and that of his wife.
It will be recalled that the convict had in 2009, forged the letter head and identity card of NUC, for the running of the illegal Middle Belt and North Central University, Oturkpo, Benue State.

The Tribune