N6bn Funding Scandal: Rivers Assembly Begins Investigation Into PAMO University

The Rivers State House of Assembly has summoned officials of the state government and the management of PAMO University of Medical Sciences over the use of funds allocated to the institution over the years.

Those summoned include the university’s management, the State Accountant General, the Commissioner for Education, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, and other relevant officials.

It was understands that the officials are expected to appear before an Ad-hoc Committee of the Assembly on September 16.

The Assembly said the summons was issued in line with Sections 128 and 129 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, said the lawmakers want to determine whether funds released to PAMO University over the years were properly utilized for the purposes for which they were approved.

Amaewhule warned the invited officials against ignoring the summons, stressing that they were expected to appear before the committee as scheduled.

The development comes weeks after the Rivers State House of Assembly rejected a proposed ₦6 billion allocation to PAMO University in the state’s 2026 budget.

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In other news, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has demanded an immediate investigation into the arrest of three of its members during the disruption of a political meeting in Isiokpo, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The party also called for the immediate release of Confidence Amadi, Chikezie Justice and Isaiah Thomas, unless the police can present credible evidence of an identifiable offense against them.

It was reported that the ADC made the demand in a statement signed on Saturday by its Rivers State Publicity Secretary, Chizy Enyi.

The party alleged that personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and members of the local vigilante group, OSPAC, stormed the meeting venue and intimidated supporters during a consultative meeting organized by the party’s House of Assembly candidate for Ikwerre, Jeffrey Wobodo.

The meeting was reportedly held ahead of Wobodo’s planned campaign activities.

According to the ADC, some security personnel and OSPAC members allegedly assaulted participants after entering the venue, leaving some people injured.

The party also alleged that mobile phones belonging to some of its members were seized or taken away during the incident.

It said the three arrested members were accused of cultism following the disruption.

The ADC alleged that Wobodo later approached the authorities to seek the release of the three men but was told by the Isiokpo Area Commander, ACP Felix Ojiaku, that they would be charged with cultism based on an “order from above.”

The party said the alleged directive required clarification, particularly regarding the circumstances surrounding the arrests and the neutrality of the security agencies involved.

The ADC further alleged that some OSPAC members later mobilized to the Area Command and assaulted some party members around the police facility.

It said other police officers eventually intervened to prevent the situation from escalating.

The party said the incident was more worrying because of what it described as previous threats and attacks against opposition political activities in Ikwerre.