Nigerian University professor returns N1.1m wrongly paid to him 

The Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), John-Ochefu Ochai, a major-general, on Wednesday, visited the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria to commend Umar Ka’oje, a professor, for voluntarily returning over N1 million wrongly paid to him.

The money, totalling N1,153,953.36, was said to have been paid to the don after the expiration of his teaching contract with the nation’s highest military academy.

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

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

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

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

According to him, the act exhibited by Mr 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 thanked the department for its well-established culture of training leaders to be honest and accountable.

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