The founder and rector of a private college in Nasarawa State has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment for running unauthorised degree programmes and defrauding students, following a successful prosecution by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
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Founder of the International College of Administration Science and Technology in Auta Balefi, Nasarawa State, Mr. Olaniran Satiregun, was convicted alongside his institution on three counts of obtaining money by false pretence, contrary to the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act.
Honourable Justice Anyalewa Onoja-Alapa of the Federal High Court in Lafia delivered the verdict, finding both defendants guilty on all charges. The judge sentenced Satiregun to seven years’ imprisonment without the option of a fine while ordering the institution to refund all fees collected from students enrolled in unauthorised programmes.
The case, prosecuted by ICPC’s legal team led by Mr. Adesina Raheem, revealed how the defendants deceived unsuspecting applicants by offering admissions to study courses that lacked accreditation from regulatory authorities. Investigations revealed that, despite having obtained approval from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to operate only four courses, the institution illegally offered programmes in nursing, public health, and computer science between 2019 and 2021.
Court documents detailed how the college fraudulently collected fees from students under false promises. In one specific case cited in the charges, the institution obtained N110,000 from student Onmonya Daniel Ogah as fees for a three-year professional programme in public health and nursing science, promising degree conversion opportunities with recognised international universities and professional certifications.
The prosecution established that the college had no authorisation to run these programmes or award degrees in Nigeria, making the collection of fees from students fraudulent. The court heard how students were misled about the legitimacy and recognition of their intended qualifications.
In addition to the prison sentence, Justice Onoja-Alapa ordered the institution to refund all fees collected from students who were enrolled in the unauthorised courses. The court also directed that the college restrict its operations to only the four courses approved by the relevant regulatory authority.
The conviction represents a significant victory for ICPC in its ongoing efforts to combat educational fraud and protect Nigerian students from exploitation by unscrupulous institutions operating outside regulatory frameworks.
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