This was disclosed in a press statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Vice Chancellor on Public Relations and Special Duties, Dr Emmanuel Ojukwu, on Thursday.

Ojukwu said the forgery was discovered when Nwesuzor, an administrative staff member, wrote to the university requesting to change his degree result.

Ojukwu announced that Nwesuzor was suspended for six months while his case would undergo other processes before final action.

The statement read in part, “The Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Charles Esimone, has approved the immediate suspension of Nwafor  Ogbonnaya (Nwafor  Nwesuzor) over allegations of presentation of forged and fake degree result to the university.

“In a bid to secure employment in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nwafor  Ogbonnaya whose real name is Nwafor  Nwesuzor abandoned his undergraduate programme and forged the university statement of result and a letter of exclusion from the National Youth Service Corps.

“He later went ahead to complete his degree programme. The whole scenario emanated when Mr Nwafor Ogbonnaya wrote to the university, requesting to change his degree result.

“The new result he submitted bears a different name, Nwafor  Nwesuzor, and a different class of degree and this resulted in suspicion.

“Upon further investigation, it was discovered that this staff member forged his degree result and letter of exclusion from the NYSC based on the obvious disparity between the documents he submitted originally and the new documents he was trying to substitute.

“The class of degree in both results presented varies, the forged statement of result with the name Nwafor Osborne Ogbonnaya bears second class lower division while the original result with the name Nwafor Ogbonnaya Nwesuzor bears third class.

“In following due process the Vice Chancellor in exercising his powers based on the university rules and regulation approved his immediate suspension from the employment of the university for six months while his case undergoes other processes in the university before final disposal action.”

The state Governor’s Deputy Chief Press Secretary, Mr Emeka Ozumba, in a press release said that in a communique issued after a meeting between government officials and executive members of the Ochanja market union on Friday, October 18, 2019 at the Governor’s lodge, Amawbia, the State government accepted that as part of the modalities to help affected traders, documentation would be done in the shops of the affected traders.

It said, “Government’s decision to move the documentation exercise to the market, came after diligent consultations with executives of the market union and other stakeholders.

“Consequently, the public and all concerned persons are hereby notified that the exercise earlier announced to hold on Monday, October 21 at Ekwueme Square, Awka, will NOT HOLD as scheduled.

“The government has however set up a 10 man committee consisting of five members of the state executive council and five members of the Ochanja central market union executives.

“The committee will visit the market and interface directly with all persons affected by the inferno to evaluate damages, identify actual victims and advise government with regard to compensations and other necessary actions.

“The committee will announce a date for the visit as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, Governor Obiano donated a fire engine to Ochanja central market and ordered the creation and/or repair of access roads in the market.

He said that the state government is deeply saddened by the fire disaster and regrets the loss of lives and property.