127 Sacked Workers at Michael Okpara University Appeal to Tinubu

One hundred and twenty-seven 127 sacked workers of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike have appealed directly to President Bola Tinubu to step in and compel the institution’s management to restore their employment. 

The affected staff, formally engaged by the Federal Government, say they were unlawfully dismissed and replaced with unauthorized candidates on July 15, 2026, after serving the university for five months.

The disengaged workers made their appeal public on Monday when they visited the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat in Umuahia, Abia State, seeking wider public attention for their cause. 

Speaking on behalf of the group, Mr. Eze Ejike and Mrs. Gospel Nwaike disclosed that the Federal Government had recruited a total of 553 new workers under an approved exercise. 

All 553 names were duly captured on the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) by officials from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation in Abuja, making their employment both legally recognized and federally backed.

Ejike confirmed that each affected person received an official appointment letter and a staff identity card issued directly by the Federal Government before resuming duties. 

“Despite being issued official appointment letters and staff identity cards by the Federal Government, and having worked for five months in 2026, the university management sacked us on Wednesday, 15th July 2026,” he stated plainly.

The workers further alleged that 127 names from the original GIFMIS-verified list were fraudulently replaced with candidates reportedly introduced by senior university officials. 

More troubling, many of the 127 sacked workers at Michael Okpara University claim they were coerced by security personnel to surrender their staff identity cards and sign disengagement letters under duress — a situation they describe as both unlawful and traumatic.

Among those affected is Mrs. Roseline Okpechi, a qualified lawyer whose name appeared on the authentic employment list from Abuja. 

Her appointment letter was dated January 14, 2026. Okpechi urged the Federal Government to direct the university to publish the original GIFMIS staff list and immediately recall all displaced workers to their rightful positions.

When reached for comment, the university’s Head of Public Relations and Protocol, Mr. Anyaso Anyaso, denied awareness of the complaints. “We are not aware of their claims. 

Of course there is no claims they have because they have not written the school,” Anyaso said, indicating no formal petition had been received by management.