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A sudden fire has destroyed the procurement department and the entire exams and records unit at the Federal College of Education, Eha-Amufu, in Enugu State. The incident has created fresh tension in the school, which is already facing serious corruption allegations.
According to SaharaReporters, the fire happened on Monday night and burnt down a large building that housed the procurement unit, exams and records department, and other important offices.
The building was completely destroyed. Documents, office furniture, and equipment were all burnt to ashes.
Sources inside the school said there was no electricity in the college at the time of the fire and no bush burning around the area that could have caused it.
One source said the building that contained procurement, exams, and records was completely burnt, even though there was no power supply or nearby bushfire.
Another source explained that by Tuesday, March 3, 2026, staff and students woke up to news that the Center for Educational Technology building had been destroyed. The building contained the Exams Unit, Records Unit, Sandwich Unit, PDE Unit, Governing Council Chambers, Academic Board, Integrated Science Lab, several staff offices, and the Procurement Unit. Everything inside was destroyed.
The source questioned what would happen to students whose results were burnt in the fire. The source also asked what would happen to former students who may need their transcripts in the future.
Video analysis showed that although the burnt building was surrounded by trees, it was the only structure completely destroyed, while nearby buildings were not affected.
Some insiders claimed that the fire may be linked to ongoing investigations and petitions about financial misconduct and diversion of school property.
One source alleged that the fire may be connected to accusations that the outgoing provost, Dr. Pauline N. Ikwuegbu, was involved in the misappropriation of funds and diversion of school vehicles. The source claimed the destruction of the procurement and records departments could make it difficult to find documents needed for investigation.
Another insider alleged that Dr. Ikwuegbu and her associates may have arranged the fire to destroy important records before her tenure ends. The source claimed that petitions had been sent to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Federal Ministry of Education, but no major action had been taken.
The fire happened weeks after SaharaReporters reported on February 12 about an alleged corruption scandal involving more than ₦300 million worth of government vehicles.
Dr. Ikwuegbu was accused of diverting three 15-seater buses bought in July 2023 under a federal project. Documents showed that a contract worth ₦229,788,130 was awarded to Overzoom Global Investment Services Limited, and payment was reportedly made.
However, whistleblowers claimed that only one bus was delivered to the college, while the other two were allegedly taken to Majesty International Model Schools in Aba, Abia State. Records from the Corporate Affairs Commission reportedly list Dr. Ikwuegbu as a main owner of the private school.
When asked about the missing vehicles, the Provost allegedly said they were donated to two secondary schools in Enugu State, but insiders claimed there were no official approvals for such donations.
There were also claims about the purchase of a ₦70,251,250 Toyota Prado SUV in 2022, which was meant for official use but was allegedly used as the Provost’s personal vehicle.
Legal experts earlier told SaharaReporters that if proven, such actions could amount to criminal offenses under anti-corruption laws.
Now that the procurement and records departments have been destroyed, staff fear that important documents related to contracts and financial transactions may have been lost.
Some staff members have called on federal authorities and anti-corruption agencies to seal off the school and carry out an independent investigation into both the fire and the corruption allegations.
Efforts to contact Dr. Ikwuegbu for comments were unsuccessful, as she did not respond to calls or messages at the time of reporting.
