By Amos Aar
THE VICE CHANCELLOR of Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi (MOAUAM), formerly Benue State University, Professor Joe Tor Iorapuu, has reportedly been suspended.
The report of the suspension and appointment of an acting Vice Chancellor trended on Facebook in Benue alleging the suspension of the vice chancellor for two months, along with the institution’s Director of ICT, Terna Abdul, and the Bursar, Mr. Amos Egwurube, both of whom were alleged to have been placed on indefinite suspension.
The news, which first emerged on June 5, 2025, gained significant traction by Monday, June 10.
Efforts to obtain an official explanation from the university’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Dr. (Mrs.) Bibiana Ayabam, were unsuccessful as she declined to respond to inquiries.
National Record sent enquiry message to Dr. (Mrs.) Ayabam asking if the social media blitz on the suspension of the vice chancellor, director of ICT and bursar were true, but she failed to respond after she had read it.
While some insiders interpreted Prof. Iorapuu’s exit as a pre-retirement terminal leave, some senior management staff members of MOAUAM, who spoke to National Record on condition of anonymity, however, confirmed that he was actually suspended, attributing his ordeal to allegations of financial mismanagement.
Those with terminal leave narrative said Prof. Iorapuu is left with about five months to retire.
Specifically, Prof Iorapuu is alleged to have been accused of failing to implement the payment of the 35 per cent salary increment for senior lecturers and 25 per cent for junior lecturers, funds allegedly released by Governor Hyacinth Alia following the adoption of a N75,000 minimum wage for civil servants in the state since November 2024.
The sources further confided in National Record that the vice chancellor is alleged to have been involved in inflating the budget for the construction of MOAUM’s Faculty of Engineering, Adikpo Campus in Kwande LGA.
Iorapuu is also alleged to have increased school fees, hotel accommodation fees, and selling admission, amongst other allegations, all without the knowledge of the governor, who is the Visitor to the university, and the governing council.
The alleged indefinite suspension of the Director of ICT and the Bursar is reportedly linked to a controversial incident involving repeated failures of the university’s online portal.
The system breakdown allegedly caused financial losses amounting to about N2 billion and severely hampered students’ ability to pay fees.
In the interim, Professor Simon Terver Ubwa, the Vice Chancellor (Academics), is believed to have been appointed to serve as Acting Vice Chancellor.
It is noteworthy that the university’s management had previously been embroiled in controversy when Henry Ibya, the Benue State correspondent of Aljazirah newspaper, was arrested, detained, arraigned, and remanded following his report on the portal collapse.
The Director of ICT had accused him of publishing false information, although the university at the time distanced itself from the case, stating it was a personal matter between the director and the journalist.
