Nigerian students in American varsity accuse HOD of extortion, human trafficking
A group of Nigerian students in the American University of Moldova (AUM) and the University of Political and Economic European Studies (USPEE) have accused the Head Department (HOD) for Foreign Students, Mr Johnbull Ugbo of extortion, human trafficking and maltreatment.
In a petition by the President of their association, the Nigeria Union in Moldova (NUM), Daniel Nnadi, Ugbo was also alleged to be harassing the students with police and collecting cash from students and parents without getting admission and wouldn’t refund their money.
According to Nnadi, the association had written to the Nigerian Embassy in Bucharest seeking assistance but nothing came out from it. Nnadi explained that some of the students have been suspended from the university, for not meeting up with the tuition fees due to Ugbo’s refusal to pay the fees which the affected students gave him in cash.
He said the association’s efforts to bring Ugbo to a meeting and find solution to the allegations against him have proved abortive.
Nnadi said, “We have tried so many ways to bring an amicable solution to these issues but the students were restricted by Mr. Ugbo Johnbull. He doesn’t want anybody to associate with the Nigerian Union in Moldova. There are evidences to prove his extortions and treatments from varies students. We are asking the relevant authorities and Nigerian High Commission to help us investigate the dealings of Ugbo, if found guilty should be arrested and prosecuted.”
One of the students, Ezeike Chukwuemeka, in a petition, said that Ugbo, in a meeting they had with him in September 2020 declared that €50 will be paid by any of the students who missed a class.
According to Ezeike, no student could challenge Ugbo for fear of deportation. He’s always threatening us with deportation.
He said, “Sometime in September 2022, Mr Ugbo introduced another way of extorting money from the students because he calls his word the Law. In one of the meetings he had declared that any person that misses a class will pay €50.”
Another student of USPEE, Akande Idris said he is mentally stressed, tired, and devasted about the threats, extortion, and management going on in the school and hostel by Ugbo.
He accused Ugbo of illegally implementing a 2 per cent of rent in the hostel every day after the due date.
“I signed this document under duress because I couldn’t even read the content clearly and he never dropped the copy of the agreement for any of the students but yet he is forcing all students to pay the penalty with threats.
“Students are used for forced labor sometimes, students are to contribute for anything we use that got damaged in the hostel, students are regularly threatened with deportation, defamation of character if the student is not doing his bidding and also false accusations between students,” Akande said.
But Ugbo denied all the allegations in telephone conversation.
He said, “In this part of the world, nobody takes bribe. If their allegations are true and correct, I won’t be walking free. The truth of the matter is that, they are a group of cult boys and there’s no way for that in Moldova. Some of them came from Dubai, United Arab Emirates and were trying to set up a cult group.”
The Nigerian embassy is investigating the matter and when they are through, their findings will be made public.
Also, the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa advised the students to write her commission as she’s not aware of their case.
She said, “I have no details. They should inform us officially. We will investigate the matter if and when we get their petition,” Mrs Dabiri-Erewa added.
