Accusation of corruption: Who is the mole in NBTE?

By Auwal Ahmed Ibrahim, Goronyo

I read a viral piece about a petition in national dailies, written by a former Director of Human Resource, Lawal Y. Hafiz, a staff member of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). The petition accused the Executive Secretary (E.S), Prof. Idris M. Bugaje, of misappropriation and corruption. My argument against that accusation was that, given the kind of person the E.S. is, the god must be a liar.

Professor Idris M. Bugaje, who has millions of supporters in Nigeria and the diaspora for his technocratic approach and unwavering fight against corruption, is a staunch advocate for integrity. Those who attempt to label him corrupt will ultimately be ashamed, as their accusations are merely a desperate attempt to cover their own guilt and gullibility. This is not the first time that those who have done wrong have paid the price of their sins in many places where he has worked.

Some individuals are driven by callousness, greed, and an insatiable desire for everything, often rejecting the truth, no matter the source. As the Hausa proverb states, “When a dog cannot bite, it turns to barking,” and I believe those seeking to tarnish Professor Idris M. Bugaje’s reputation are motivated by selfishness, driven by the consequences of their own actions.

Like in all his previous roles, Professor Idris M. Bugaje established an anti-corruption unit at NBTE to address misappropriation, embezzlement, and substandard work, ensuring accountability and transparency across the board. His hatred for these acts is well-known, and I am a living testimony to this, having worked with him for many years.

Professor Idris M. Bugaje’s integrity remains unblemished, regardless of the fabricated accusations surrounding car swaps, employment misconduct, and corruption. His truth, supported by history and records, will ultimately prevail. The concocted story holds no water, and many will dismiss and disregard it as such.

While a petition has been submitted to the ICPC by a staff member of NBTE who is under investigation for public misconduct, this action, bypassing the Minister or higher-ranking officials at NBTE, is a serious misconduct and abuse of office. The Minister of Education should address this violation according to the Civil Service Rules. While the truth will prevail, those who spread these lies will ultimately face the consequences of their actions. I stand by the truth about Professor Idris M. Bugaje’s history and the information I have gathered from the insiders.

Why the petition now? Why not when the former Director was in his position, if he is truly a man of God as he claims? An African proverb says, “A woman can deny all the good things you did to her when you are in a feud.”

While people are celebrating Professor Idris M. Bugaje’s remarkable achievements in elevating NBTE’s excellence and reputation, the individual being punished for their wrongdoing has resorted to fabricating unverified information against a trusted individual known for his credibility by millions of Nigerians. The attempt to tarnish the reputation and good image of Professor Idris M. Bugaje will ultimately fail, as God protects those who strive for good.

I can recall when Professor Bugaje assumed the role of NBTE Executive Secretary, the Board was in dire need of essential resources. There was no official car for the Executive Secretary’s office, and he had to temporarily use a Kaduna Polytechnic vehicle and for the kindness, understanding and philanthropy of the Dr. Suleiman Umar, the Rector of the Institution, Kaduna Polytechnic official car stayed with Prof. Bugaje for almost eight months. Furthermore, there were no functioning cars for inspection purposes, even for high-ranking officials. Today, NBTE has gained international recognition through the good work of Professor Idris M. Bugaje. If there was any misconduct in the claimed employment, the former Human Resources Director should be held accountable for their actions while in that position. However, it is laughable that they are now the ones pursuing a right.

How could the car swap be perceived as a personal gain when the Executive Secretary, through his own efforts, secured more gift cars for the Board? Why didn’t he use the gifted cars for his personal gain? Professor Bugaje has demonstrably contributed more to NBTE’s progress as the Executive Secretary of the Board, driving the Board and the TVET sector towards a brighter future. Just two days ago, he received the Transformative Excellence award in TVET from Serviccom, yet today we are confronted with accusations of corruption. How can this be true? Who is deceiving whom?

I believe that those who spread these lies will ultimately face the consequences of their actions, as the truth will shine brightly like the sun.

At our own level, using government-provided avenues, supporters of Professor Idris M. Bugaje will surely charge the person behind this defamation of character to court. The accuser will face the wrath of the law for taunting the integrity of an administrative officer and a nationalist whose focus is the growth of Nigeria for the better.

The efforts and contributions of Professor Idris M. Bugaje have brought about remarkable development in Panteka Market, Nigerian polytechnics, and the informal sectors. His dedication has elevated the standard of Nigerian skills and reduced the unemployment gap in the country. The teeming youths of Nigeria will not stand idly by while someone who has done wrong and violated the Civil Service Rules in their administrative term halts or disturbs the progress of the NBTE. We will take legal action against this public accusation, damage of name, and pursue legal cover for Professor Idris M. Bugaje. Therefore, the NBTE, the Minister of Education, and the National Assembly members of the Educational Committee should ensure that the individual receives a just judgment for their misconduct.

We will submit petitions of complaint to the Honourable Minister of Education, Code of Conduct Bureau, Public Complaint Commission, and Servicom regarding the suspended Director who acted wrongly while under investigation. He must pay the price for the human rights abuse of Professor Idris M. Bugaje by inviting the press to expose an administrative case while under investigation. This was the highest abuse of office, and the laws of Nigeria should not spare this reckless public misconduct.

Auwal Ahmed Ibrahim, Goronyo is an International Human Rights Activist, writes from Kaduna state and can be reached at auwalgoronyo@gmail.com

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