The Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, UniCal, Prof Florence Obi, on Wednesday announced the suspension of a Head of Department, HOD, in the school for allegedly altering students results.
The suspect, identified as Joseph Akpan, who heads the Department of Pharmacology, allegedly took advantage of his position to alter 235 examination result scripts.
According to the VC, Akpan allegedly altered student’s scores in the Introduction to General Antimicrobial Pharmacology (PHM 311) course results.
She accused Akpan of altering the scores in 235 result scripts out of the 242 result scripts.
She also said the HOD allegedly awarded marks to two students, who did not write the examinations.
Furthermore, the VC disclosed that only five scripts were genuinely marked without alteration, adding that Akpan confessed to the offence when he appeared before the Senate Examination Misconduct Committee, (SEMC).
Akpan reportedly admitted padding the scores of students in PHM 311 to protect the image of the department, an act the management considered to be ridiculous and unacceptable.
“Consequently, the management of the University has directed that he should be relieved of his appointment as HOD and Coordinator of PHM 311, as well as suspended from duty with effect from Oct. 8, 2024,” Prof Obi said.
“Akpan’s official responsibilities are to be reassigned to other qualified lecturers in the department.
“He has also been directed to stay away from the university forthwith unless while responding to the invitation of relevant committees.”
The University of Calabar seems to be garnering reputation for scandals in the recent past.
One of its top officials, Prof Cyril Ndifon, is being tried by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, before Justice James Omotosho of the Abuja Federal High Court on a four-count charge, bordering on alleged sexual harassment.
