The sacked Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TeTFund), Abdullahi Baffa, said he was forced out of office owing to his refusal to provide monetary kickbacks to Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.
Baffa told BBC Hausa on Wednesday that the Minister had sent a contractor to him demanding his share of N200 billion disbursed by the agency to tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
He stated that he had never collected a dime from any of the benefiting tertiary institutions.
“If they bring any evidence indicting me, I’m ready to accept death punishment,” Mr Baffa said.
said he was sacked over ‘false’ accusations of insubordination, inaccessibility and speaking to the press without authorisation.
“On Friday night, I was informed at the Presidential Villa that Minister of Education came with a letter reporting me to the president.
“This the first time Adamu Adamu reported me to the president, sack but the president stood his ground and refuse to sack me,” the BBC.
When the interviewer asked him about the authenticity of his source, Mr Bichi said he was certain the information was accurate.
“My source is reliable. On Saturday night, I was reliably informed that I would be removed.
“I asked what was my offence? They alleged that the offences , insubordination and speaking to the press without authorisation.
“Allegation of inaccessibility is the minister knows that I spend more time in the ministry as aide than in my TETfund office.
“I do not regret my refusal to obey the minister’s directives because I cannot sabotage my country.
“ ask the minister. Eight months ago, Mallam Adamu Adamu sent one biggest contractors to tell me that the minister was angry with three reasons.
“The third issue is that TETffund disbursed over N200 million to universities without remitting the kickback, amounting to at least N20 billion at rate.
“The fact since I started this job, I have never demanded a single kobo university. If any university shows proof of collecting them, let death sentence be passed on me,” he added.
