Authorities of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, on Friday, denied that ‘Professor’ Charles Jide-Oni, who was arraigned at a Federal High Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is not a staff of the institution.

During his arraignment, ‘Professor’ Jide-Oni claimed to be a professor at OAU, but in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of OAU, Mr. Abiodun Olarewaju, insisted he was never a staff of the university.

Olarewaju said: “The attention of the authorities of OAU had been drawn to a news item in the social and conventional media about one Charles Jide-Oni, who was arraigned before a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, for obtaining money under false pretences and other fraudulent activities, by the Ibadan Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. He was also alleged to have claimed to be a professor in our university.

“For the avoidance of doubt, and to set the records straight, we make bold to say that, having gone through our staff list, data, and other record-keeping devices in our archives, we do not have any of our professors, retired or serving, dead or living, who goes by that name.

“Accordingly, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, does not have anything to do with the self-styled ‘professor’ and urges the public to disregard, in its entirety, whatever claims he might have made in connection with our esteemed institution of higher learning.”

He said the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Eyitope Ogunbodede, thus, advised the public to be wary of those who might be using the name of the university for anything unholy, emphasising the zero tolerance of his administration for fraud and other related vices.

He implored the public to always verify from the university the claims of anybody who might be using the name of the university for fraudulent activities, or other unholy conduct.

‘Professor’ Jide-Oni, 60, was arraigned alongside 12 Internet fraud suspects before Justice Nicholas Oweibo of a Federal High Court in Lagos, on Thursday. (The Sun)