Ondo-based varsity uncovers N457m tuition scam, accuses ex-staff
By Boye Oyeyemi
Achievers University in Oyo, Ondo State, has uncovered an alleged N457.5m tuition fraud involving a former bursary staff member accused of diverting students’ school fees into a personal bank account.
The institution made the disclosure in a bulletin issued by its Acting Vice-Chancellor, Oyesoji Aremu, who said the discovery followed a comprehensive audit of the university’s payment portal and students’ fee records.
According to the bulletin, the alleged fraud was traced to Olanike Mary Asabia, an accounting graduate of the university who later worked in the bursary department before resigning in April 2025.
The university said investigations revealed that 320 students paid a total of N457,508,645 into the former employee’s personal account across the 2023/2024, 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 academic sessions.
The management alleged that the suspect fraudulently cleared the affected students on the institution’s portal despite the university not receiving the payments.
“The fraud was masterminded by one Olanike Mary Asabia, an alumnus of the Department of Accounting of our university, who was later employed to work at the university bursary,” the bulletin stated.
The university further disclosed that 11 staff members, 34 students and one worker at the Federal Medical Centre were allegedly involved in recruiting students into the scheme through promises of discounted fees and commissions.
Aremu said the affected students had been directed to repay their fees into the university’s official accounts, while those implicated, including the former staff member already under police investigation, would face disciplinary actions and possible prosecution.
