Novelty Polytechnic Kishi, located in Oyo State, has vehemently denied any involvement in the establishment of satellite campuses in selected states. Prince Lanre Ogundipe, a member of the polytechnic’s governing board, revealed this during a press briefing in Abuja on Sunday.

According to Ogundipe, the satellite campuses in Ibadan, Minna, Lagos, and Abuja were unauthorized and being operated by fraudsters rather than the school’s management. He explained that an employee, who was initially engaged as a canvasser, took advantage of his position and created satellite campuses under the false claim of being the “MD,” diverting the proceeds into his personal account.

Furthermore, Ogundipe emphasized that none of the students enrolled in these unauthorized campuses were officially recognized by Novelty Polytechnic. They did not have any records or files with the institution. He urged the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to swiftly investigate these fraudulent satellite campuses and shut them down to prevent further exploitation and fraud against Nigerians.

In a letter addressed to NBTE on April 28, 2023, the management of Novelty Polytechnic stated their request for the urgent closure of these illegal satellite campuses operated by fraudsters. They clarified that as a polytechnic, they do not have the authority to approve the establishment of such campuses. They also reported the unauthorized campuses to NBTE previously and sought their support in shutting down campuses in Abuja, Suleja, Bida, Mowe, Igando, Ibadan, Lagos, and Agege. They called for appropriate sanctions against Madiu AbdulBakai, a former staff member, and his accomplices.

Novelty Polytechnic awaits a response from NBTE and anticipates that swift action will be taken to address this fraudulent activity.