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Sensational allegations of extortion, bribery, and a blatant abuse of power has erupted at the highest levels of the Imo State Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, culminating in the suspension of a top official and exposing a toxic war of attrition that threatens to paralyze the state’s education sector.
The crisis pits the Honourable Commissioner for Education, Prof. B. T. O. Ikegwuoha, against the Executive Secretary of the Secondary Education Management Board (SEMB), Mrs. Augustina Azubuike, in a dramatic public clash that has seen accusations fly from both sides, including claims of a ₦1.5 million bribe attempt and the illegal commercialization of public schools.
The scandal was blown open on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, when Prof. Ikegwuoha, in his capacity as Commissioner, signed a suspension letter addressed to Mrs. Azubuike. The letter, with reference number from the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, suspended Mrs. Azubuike from her position for three months, effective August 11, 2025.
A query from the Ministry, referenced MOPSE/ADM/525/II/111 and dated August 11, 2025, had earlier accused Mrs. Azubuike of using her office to perpetrate “illegal collection/extortion of money in collaboration with some principals of secondary schools.”
However, in a meticulously detailed 9-point rebuttal dated August 13, 2025, Mrs. Azubuike not only categorically denied all allegations but launched a stunning counter-offensive, directly implicating Commissioner Ikegwuoha as the architect of the alleged corrupt practices.
The documents reveal two starkly contrasting narratives:
The Commissioner had accused Mrs. Azubuike of authorizing the commercialization of secondary schools, converting the Government Technical College (GTC), Owerri, into a “mechanic village,” authorizing illegal exam fees, and approving school facilities for private events for a fee. She was also accused of insubordination.
But in her response, Mrs. Azubuike systematically turned each allegation back onto the Commissioner:
· Commercialization of Schools: She stated that directives to lease school facilities for income generation, with a 50-50 profit-sharing formula, came directly from Prof. Ikegwuoha, who personally invited principals to his office to instruct them, bypassing her authority.
· GTC “Mechanic Village”: She denied any knowledge, adding that she first heard GTC described as an “oil well” from the Commissioner himself, whom she noted has frequently visited the college, which is outside his ministry’s direct purview.
· Unauthorized Fees and Events: She denied authorizing any levies, stating that for the cultural event at Akwakuma Girls’ Secondary School, the Commissioner or his Personal Assistant (a native of Umuaka) would be “in a better position to clarify” how it was approved.
· Insubordination: She accused the Commissioner of creating an informal communication platform to issue instructions directly to SEMB staff, “usurping her statutory responsibilities.” She argued that obeying these unofficial “personal requests” would have been a breach of Civil Service Rules.
Adding a layer of intrigue to the administrative clash are reports of a deeply personal power struggle. Sources indicate that the previously harmonious ministry has been plunged into “rancor, acrimony and unnecessary suspicion” since Prof. Ikegwuoha’s appointment.
The Commissioner is reported to have alleged, via voice notes sent to a platform of school principals, that Mrs. Azubuike is orchestrating a plot to remove him and take his job. In a bombshell claim, he alleged that she connived with others to “set him up” by attempting to induce him with a ₦1.5 million bribe, which he claims to have rejected as “a man of integrity.” He further accused her of lobbying prominent persons in the state to facilitate his removal by Governor Hope Uzodinma.
Azubuike’s defence further made nonsense of Ikegwuruoha’s “man of integrity” claim when three different receipts of funds allegedly transferred to Ihegwuoha was made public by the Executive Secretary.
The three receipts which bore Ikegwuruoha’s name were to the tune of ₦1million each transferred to him from a Point Of Sales (POS) machine on April 9, April 16 and April 17.
In her concluding statements, Mrs. Azubuike declared herself not guilty of any misconduct, extortion, or abuse of office. She demanded that the Commissioner provide full evidence for the allegations, stating, “my reputation is on the line.” She expressed readiness to appear before a duly constituted panel but pleaded that “no action prejudicial to my position or reputation be taken without affording me the opportunity of a fair hearing.”
This scandal presents a significant governance crisis for the Imo State education sector. The very public and bitter dispute between two of its most senior officials raises serious questions about leadership, integrity, and the management of public schools. The allegations of illegal revenue generation from school facilities suggest a systemic rot that could directly impact the quality of education and burden parents with unofficial fees.
As at the time of filing this report, the government was yet to issue an official public statement on the matter.
