EXCLUSIVE: FCE Enugu Fire Report Delayed Weeks After Deadline As Staff Allege Arson To Cover Up Corruption

The blaze destroyed the Centre for Educational Technology building, which housed the procurement unit, examinations and records departments, along with several other critical offices.

The release of the report by the committee set up to investigate the mysterious fire that gutted a key administrative building at the Federal College of Education, Eha-Amufu, Enugu State, in March 2026 has been delayed.

The blaze destroyed the Centre for Educational Technology building, which housed the procurement unit, examinations and records departments, along with several other critical offices.

The incident has since been linked by staff and stakeholders to ongoing allegations of corruption and financial mismanagement within the institution.

SaharaReporters had earlier reported that the fire broke out on the night of March 3, razing offices including the Exams Unit, Records Unit, Sandwich and PDE programmes, the Academic Board, Governing Council chambers, and procurement offices, along with vital documents, furniture, and equipment.

Although the investigative panel was constituted to probe the cause of the fire, its report has not yet been made public weeks after insiders said it had concluded its assignment.

Academic staff under the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), alongside civil society organisations, have now threatened industrial action against the institution’s management, accusing it of deliberately withholding the findings to conceal alleged irregularities.

“The committee was given 21 days to submit their report. The inferno occurred on March 3 and today (Friday) is April 17, clearly more than 40 days since the committee was setup,” a staff member said.

“We insist that the outcome of the report be made public to avoid any cover-up on what caused the inferno,” the source told SaharaReporters. “This is about accountability. We will not allow this to be swept under the carpet.”

Multiple senior staff members who spoke on condition of anonymity alleged that the Chairman of the Governing Council, Prince Melubari Akukue, and the Provost, Dr. Pauline Ikwuegbu, are deliberately sitting on the report because its findings are unfavourable to them.

“The investigation has been completed, but the report is being withheld,” one senior official said. “They know what is inside it. Even the committee members are their allies, yet the outcome is not convenient for them.”

Another staff member questioned the credibility of the panel itself, alleging that it was populated by individuals loyal to the Provost.

“The chairman of the committee is a close associate of the Provost. Even a so-called deputy provost who has been rejected by staff is part of it. What kind of independent investigation do you expect?” the source said.

The fire incident has remained a subject of controversy, particularly due to the circumstances surrounding it. Sources told SaharaReporters that there was no electricity supply in the college at the time of the incident and no evidence of bush burning within the college facility.

“The building housing procurement, exams and records was completely burnt down. There was no power supply and no bush around that could have caused the fire,” a staff member said.

Video footage obtained by SaharaReporters showed the affected structure completely reduced to rubble, while neighbouring buildings were largely unaffected, a detail that has further fuelled suspicions of foul play.

Sources within the institution have also repeatedly alleged that the fire may have been deliberately set to destroy critical documents linked to ongoing investigations into alleged financial impropriety within the college.

“The burning of the procurement department and exams and records is not unconnected to allegations of misappropriation and diversion of college assets. Those are the departments that would have held evidence,” one source said.

Another insider went further, alleging direct involvement of the outgoing Provost, claiming “the building was burned to destroy incriminating records before her tenure ends”.

“There are petitions before the EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission), ICPC (Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission), and the Federal Ministry of Education,” the source said.

The development comes against the backdrop of a corruption scandal previously uncovered by SaharaReporters, involving the alleged diversion of over ₦300 million worth of government-funded vehicles.

Documents reviewed showed that a contract valued at ₦229,788,130 was awarded in July 2023 for the supply of three 15-seater buses. However, whistleblowers alleged that only one bus was delivered to the college, while the remaining two were diverted to a private school in Aba, Abia State, reportedly linked to the Provost.

Further allegations also trailed the purchase of a ₦70 million Toyota Prado SUV, said to have been acquired for institutional use but allegedly converted to personal use by the Provost.

With the procurement and records departments now destroyed, staff fear that crucial evidence relating to these transactions may have been permanently lost.

“The building housing procurement, exams and records is gone. These are the departments that would have held documentary evidence,” a staff member lamented.

Efforts to obtain official comments have so far yielded little response. When contacted, the Governing Council Chairman, Prince Akukue, said in a WhatsApp message, “I’m also waiting for the committee report.”

Attempts to reach Ikwuegbu were unsuccessful, amid reports that she has been unwell.

The delay has intensified calls for federal authorities and anti-graft agencies to intervene and ensure an independent forensic investigation into both the fire incident and the broader allegations of corruption within the institution.

Staff and stakeholders warn that failure to act decisively could further erode trust in the institution and embolden impunity.

“We are not backing down,” a union member said. “This matter must be thoroughly investigated, and those responsible must be held accountable.”