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By Chukwudi Nweje
The investigation panel of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, (FUTO) has cleared Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami as a professor of cybersecurity in the School of Information and Communication Technology (SICT) of the institution.
The panel said the minister’s publications passed through rigorous processes under external assessors and scaled six hurdles before his appointment as a professor was approved.
It said it interacted with some vital stakeholders, including the university registrar; past chairman, Committee of Deans; Dean, School of Information and Communication Technology (SICT); deans of schools who were members of ASAPC-Professional during the 2020/2021 Appraisal Year; some internal members of the last FUTO Governing Council and the Acting Head, Cybersecurity Department in the course of its work.
“From our findings and evidence before the panel, members are of the opinion that the appointment of Dr. Isa Ibrahim as a professor of Cybersecurity by the FUTO Governing Council followed due process. The panel strongly recommends that the university management should as a matter of urgency take appropriate actions, including legal action, against those who deliberately try to drag the image and reputation of FUTO to the mud.”
The panel was commissioned by the Congress of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) of FUTO at its session on September 22, 2021.
Members of the committee were Prof. M. S. Nwakaudu as Chairman, Prof. G.A. Anyanwu, Prof. C. E. Orji, Prof. Mrs. O.P. Onyewuchi, and Prof.T. I. N. Ezejiofor, who served as Secretary.
The panel said FUTO in its quest to be counted in the modem trends in the fields of science, engineering, technology, decided to establish new programmes such as Forensic Science, Software Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Cybersecurity, Radiography and Radiation Science, etc.
It said it advertised for vacancies in academic and academic support staff and Dr.Isa Ibrahim responded and applied and was given a temporary appointment as professor of Cybersecurity in the Cybersecurity Department, for which he accepted in writing.
“ Dr. Isa Ibrahim’s qualifications include BSc, MSc in Computer Science and MBA all from ATBU, PhD in Computer Information System from Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK. He is a Fellow and member of some foreign Computer Science professional societies.”
Dr. Isa Ibrahim was requested to submit details of his publications and productive works for both internal and external assessments. He complied with the request. Dr. Isa Ibrahim’s publications and productive works were sent to the Dean of SICT for internal assessment for the purpose of establishment of Prima facie case for the Professorial Appointment. The Dean of SICT assessed the publications and productive works using the FUTO Guidelines for Appointment and Promotion and established a prima facie case for Dr. Isa Ibrahim for him to be appointed a Professor of Cybersecurity.”
