A late night fire on Monday razed the building accommodating the Exams and Records as well as the Procurement units at the Federal College of Education, Eha-Amufu, Enugu State.
The blaze, which reportedly broke out without electricity and without any bush burning in the vicinity, has fueled suspicions that it was an act of sabotage.
Sources within the college disclosed on Wednesday that the affected building, which also housed the Centre for Educational Technology, the Governing Council Chambers, and the Integrated Science Lab, was completely destroyed.
A staff member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged the fire may have been deliberately set to frustrate ongoing petitions before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
“I can tell you categorically that the building was burned down because of several petitions to the EFCC, ICPC, and the Federal Ministry of Education regarding the criminal diversion of college vehicles and embezzlement of funds,” the source alleged.
The employee noted that there were concerns that confidential records required for possible prosecution were targeted because the provost’s position was recently advertised.
A concerned stakeholder called the fire “despicable” and expressed concerns about students whose academic records were destroyed in a message sent to the Governing Council.
The message read in part, “By Tuesday, March 3, 2026, we woke up to the news of a fire incident which engulfed the Centre for Educational Technology building. Everything was burnt to ashes; not even a pin was saved. Note that there was no trace of bush burning and no electricity in the compound.
“What is the fate of students whose results were consumed? What happens to the destiny of someone who graduated in 2012 that requests for a transcript?”
The petitioner claimed that the college administration had disregarded council directives, such as not holding the planned election for a deputy provost.
Efforts to reach the Provost, Dr Pauline N. Ikwuegbu, for comments were unsuccessful.
The Enugu State Fire Service has yet to issue a statement on the cause of the fire.
The governing council has been urged to take swift action in order to save the institution from what stakeholders described as “imminent collapse and total destruction.”
