Benue State University, Makurdi, has refuted claims suggesting that N2 billion has gone missing from the institution’s accounts.
Speaking during a media briefing in Makurdi on Monday, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Professor Simon Terver, dismissed the allegations as unfounded and misleading.
His statement came in the wake of a legal suit filed by the university’s Director of ICT against Mr. Henry Ibya, the Benue State correspondent for Aljazirah Newspaper.
The suit accuses Ibya of defamation, cyberstalking, and spreading injurious falsehoods.
Ibya had published a report alleging that BSU suffered a loss of N2 billion following the crash of its ICT portal, which he claimed prompted the suspension of the ICT Director for investigation.
The journalist was detained by the Benue State Police Command on April 25, 2025, and was later arraigned and remanded at the Makurdi correctional facility.
After spending nearly a week in custody, he was granted bail, and the matter has been adjourned until July 2025.
During the press engagement, Prof. Terver acknowledged that many students had yet to pay their fees, attributing the reluctance to widespread economic hardship and cultural beliefs linking school fees with taxation.
“Many students are studying without paying fees,” he stated.
He explained that the university has chosen a careful stance on enforcing fee payments to avoid triggering unrest among students.
While noting that a committee is currently evaluating fee compliance levels, Prof. Terver emphasized that the initiative is purely administrative.
“No N2 billion is missing. The committee’s work is strictly administrative, not investigative,” he asserted.