By Emma Amaize
WARRI— Federal Government, Monday, sent a director with the National Universities Commission, NUC, Prof. Alhassan Bichi, to take charge of academic activities of troubled Federal University of Petroleum Resources, FUPRE, Effurun, Delta State.

Prof. Bichi, who came to FUPRE with a retinue of anti-crime policemen, is also to ensure that the students’ graduate programmes were accredited.

He was said to be meeting with the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Alabi, whose alleged recall from accumulated/terminal leave, ordered by the Governing Council, sparked off the latest crisis in the university.

Bichi later met with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, FUPRE chapter, and other unions. But it was not clear if he was sent as an administrator of the school.

Efforts to speak with Prof. Alabi and the acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Osazuwa, who was appointed by the Governing Council, were unsuccessful.

A lecturer in the university, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “He (Prof. Bichi) is a director in NUC. We don’t know whether he is an administrator, but he has the mandate to take over all academic programmes and ensure that the students’ graduate programmes accredited.”

Chairman of ASUU, FUPRE branch, Dr. Akpofure Rim-Rukeh, told Vanguard: “ASUU is watching the new development with caution.”

However, an official of the union who spoke to Vanguard earlier said: “ASUU is not prepared to negotiate the university autonomy and stands by the decision of the Governing Council of October 18, which appointed an acting Vice-Chancellor for the institution after sending the Vice-Chancellor on accumulated leave.

“The decision remains sacrosanct.”