ABU professor returns N1.1m wrongly paid to him by NDA

The Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Maj.-Gen. John-Ochefu Ochai, visited Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria on Wednesday to commend Prof. Umar Ka’oje for voluntarily returning N1,153,953.36 wrongly paid to him.

The money was paid to the don after the expiration of his teaching contract with the nation's apex military academy.

The visit by the commandant to the university was in addition to a letter of commendation to the don by the NDA dated Sept. 11.

The commandant was received by Dr. Rahanatu Lawal, Head, Department of Political Science and International Studies.

Lawal said,Only a few people today could exhibit Prof. Ka’oje’s uncommon moral courage, stressing that such exemplary character should be emulated.”

In his remarks, the commandant said that he had to follow up on the letter of commendation earlier written to the professor with a physical visit to further show appreciation for such an act.

According to him, the act exhibited by Ka’oje was extremely rare in Africa’s clime.

He, therefore, pledged the NDA’s readiness to further honour the professor at an appropriate time.

The commandant also expressed gratitude to the department for its well-established culture of training leaders to be honest and accountable.

In his response,Ka’oje commended the academy, saying,The Commandant equally deserved commendation for recognising and rewarding honesty."