Special Report: UDUS-SU: Suspended Sales Director Bemoans Suspension, Blames President For Embezzlement

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Photo: A document showing items collected by Suspended SU President Lukman from SU Shop. Source: Vanguard Press.

Abdullateef Bala Usman reports,

The suspended Sales Director of the Students' Union of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUS-SU), Comrade Abdullahi Rabiu bemoaned suspension from office and blamed his president, Comrade Lukman Sanusi for embezzlement of union funds.

Recall that the Students Representative Assembly, or SRA in its second sitting held at B09 on Sunday 6th of August, 2023 suspended the SU President, Financial Secretary, and Sales Director over a high level of Irresponsibility and financial mismanagement.

While reacting to the suspension, Comrade Rabiu claimed innocence of mismanagement of funds saying he did not deserve to be suspended. He lamented bitterly for being suspended from office without proper investigation and not given a chance to defend himself. 

“I was so sad when the SRA did not give me a chance to explain myself before the suspension. No representative came to my office to investigate or find out whether I was involved in sabotaging the union's fund or not,” he expressed.

Comrade Rabiu said that his documents are intact and ready to present to show how the money was generated and spent. “The six-week financial expenditure released by the house is wrong and contrary to my conception. I am only aware of the financial activities that took place between the first to fourth week. Expenditures of the fifth and sixth week have nothing to do officially with the union but personal embezzlement by the president,” he disclosed.

“Normally, Abubakar at SU shop used to gather the union's money unless the shops at far places that I used to collect by myself. During the 5th and 6th week, I went to collect the money gathered by Abu as usual, I found out that the money had been spent. Abu even said the union is owing him money, he explained.   

Comrade Rabiu added that “I was not aware of the money withdrawn from the union's account until we held the SRA meeting. A sum of 5,000 thousand nairas was withdrawn from the account without us, the executives knowing.” 

He also noted that the president knocked him off his duties and was not granted room to fully discharge his duties and make relevant decisions.

Photo: A breakdown of expenses at one of the SU shops for the third week. Credit: Vanguard Press


“The SU has a debt of 64,170 naira to clear currently” — Abu SU Shop

In his bid to follow the matter and reach the depth of it, Vanguard Press interviewed Mallam Abubakar (Abu SU shop), a manager of one of the students' unions shops at Jibril Aminu to verify the claim made by the suspended Sales Director about the SU President.

In his response, Abu said that the President always comes to his shop and at times, sends some of his friends on his behalf to collect food items and other items under the union's name.

“SU president regularly comes to collect items like milk, noodles, drinks, and others from the shop, sending some of his friends including Abdul and DV using the union's name. I have the records of all the items and their cost in my recording book. At times, he [president] would request a huge amount of money for fuelling the SU car,” Abu revealed.

He complained bitterly while he lamented the effect of the debt on his business. “The leadership and power demonstrated by Lukman Sanusi posed a negative impact on my business because we can't get new goods without clearing the previous debt. Even, the SU has a debt of 64,170 naira to clear currently.”

'Give Me More Time'— Suspended President Lukman

Vanguard Press confronted suspended Students' Union President, Comrade Lukman Sanusi to respond to the allegations against him. 

In his response, he requested more time from the Press claiming that his schedules for this semester are tight which makes him unavoidably indisposed for the interview.

"I am busy these days, especially with the exams, tell them [Vanguard Press) to hold on while we are in the process, I want him [the Sales Director] [to be] here while me and you  [Vanguard] will discuss it, I will communicate to you no problem," he said.

Afterward, Vanguard Press tried to contact him at all opportunities but he gave excuses and refused to comment. 

As of the time of filing this report, he hasn't responded to the allegations nor has he communicated with Vanguard Press.






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