EXCLUSIVE(SAHARA REPORTERS): NITR Kaduna DG Accused of Targeting ICPC Witness Amidst Corruption Investigation

A serious administrative and corruption scandal is currently rocking the Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis Research (NITR) in Kaduna. The unfolding situation involves allegations of a multi-million-naira project fund diversion and a calculated attempt to dismiss a key whistleblower, Dr. Rolayo T. Emmanuel.

Internal documents obtained by our correspondent reveal a purported scheme involving the siphoning of federal project funds, widespread administrative misconduct, and a systematic effort to terminate the employment of Dr. Emmanuel, a senior research officer. Investigations indicate that the crisis escalated after the Institute's Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Joachim Joseph Ajakaiye, allegedly instructed that federal allocations for the 2024 Disease Surveillance and Control Project be diverted and paid directly into a private commercial bank account. This proxy account, held with First City Monument Bank (FCMB), is reportedly managed by close associates of the DG, identified as Mrs. B.U. Michael, the Acting Director of Finance and Accounts, and Haruna Saidu.

Dr. Emmanuel, who served as the Assistant Director of Research and Head of the National AU-PATTEC (Pan-African Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Campaign) project office, reportedly resisted this directive. She maintained that transferring public funds into personal accounts constitutes a blatant violation of Nigeria’s Public Service Rules (PSR), the ICPC Act, and the financial regulations governing public procurement. In alleged retaliation for her refusal to release these project funds, which are now crucial evidence in an ongoing anti-graft investigation, the DG purportedly initiated a deliberate campaign to remove her from service.

Leaked official communications show a series of contradictory administrative directives aimed at terminating Dr. Emmanuel's employment under the pretext of "absenteeism." SaharaReporters gathered that the DG initially engineered a punitive, involuntary transfer, ordering her to report to the North East Zonal Office in Gombe and replacing her with a lower-ranking ally. However, after the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) commenced a full-scale probe into the alleged fraud and designated Dr. Emmanuel as a primary witness, the management issued a containment order.

An official letter dated April 10, 2026 (Ref No: 3539/TR/314), signed by Zayyanu S. Magini on behalf of the DG, explicitly instructed Dr. Emmanuel to remain in Kaduna to cooperate with the ICPC investigation, but simultaneously barred her from entering the institute's premises. In a bizarre turn, another internal memo dated June 30, 2026 (Ref No: 3119/TR/390), signed by Okposio George, the Acting Director of HRM, directed the Gombe office to submit an urgent report on why Dr. Emmanuel had not reported to her assigned duty post. This move appears to be a pretext to halt her salary, despite the existing official restriction placed on her by the Management. The letter was titled: "Letter of confirmation on whether Dr. Rolayo T. Emmanuel, Assistant Director (Research) has reported to her duty post at North East Zonal Office, NITR, Gombe." It partly read:

"NITR Management Committee, during its 265th meeting (Emergency) in conjunction with the three Unions, ASURI, SSAUTHRIAI and NASU held on Tuesday 24th June, 2026 deliberated on the above subject.

"Accordingly, I am directed to request you to forward a detailed report on whether Dr. Rolayo T. Emmanuel, Assistant Director (Research) has reported to her duty post and performing her scheduled responsibilities in compliance with the directive in a letter with Ref.No:FMIST/PARA/104/V dated 23rd February, 2026 from the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology (FMIST), arising from the Report of the Senior Staff Appointment, Promotion and Disciplinary Committee (SSAPDC) meeting held on 15th January, 2026.

"Your submission should reach the Director General/CEO as soon as you receive this letter."

Sources further disclosed that the administrative manipulation escalated into physical intimidation when Dr. Ajakaiye, allegedly exceeding his authority, deployed armed personnel from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to the NITR gates. These personnel were reportedly given strict orders to physically prevent Dr. Emmanuel from entering her workplace, even before she had been formally served with the written bar notice.

Furthermore, the Director-General faces accusations of severe administrative misconduct, including fraud and thuggery. According to insiders, Dr. Ajakaiye allegedly compiled and circulated a falsified internal investigation report. This document reportedly excluded Dr. Emmanuel’s formal defence appendices, removed critical witness testimonies, and inserted fabricated charges, while retaining the signature page from the original investigation committee to give it false credibility. Armed with this misleading report, the DG allegedly deceived oversight bodies within the Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology, as well as the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation. This purportedly led to delays in interventions by the Public Complaints Commission (PCC) and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

Sources claim that the Director-General has openly boasted to close associates that “money clears any road in Nigeria,” asserting that he successfully compromised investigation orders issued by the Senate. Meanwhile, the psychological and professional stress among the institute’s staff has reached a critical point. An emotional communication intercepted by SaharaReporters from a senior official depicted the daily suffering within NITR, describing an unbearable work environment that has left employees demoralized and distressed. "Ajakaiye is heavily drunk and obsessed with power that is NOT given to him... he rejects administrative advice given to him on the implications of his unruliness, but he always tagged such the 'enemy within'. If you resist him, you are tagged and called names," one source stated. The source added that whenever staff members are summoned by the anti-graft agency, the Director-General reacts with open paranoia, accusing them of leaking incriminating information.

As tensions mount, staff and civil society organizations have issued an urgent appeal to federal authorities to protect the institutional integrity of NITR Kaduna from total collapse. They demand that the Head of Service of the Federation (HoSF) immediately suspend Dr. Joachim Joseph Ajakaiye and establish an independent panel to investigate the allegations of administrative fraud and the unlawful deployment of armed guards against civil servants. Additionally, they have called on ICPC Chairman Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN) to exercise statutory Whistleblower and Witness Protection powers, issue a cease-and-desist order to secure Dr. Emmanuel’s salary, and prosecute the management under Section 20 of the Witness Protection and Management Act, 2022. A direct appeal was also made to the Minister of Women Affairs, urging intervention in what has been described as a clear case of systemic workplace harassment, intimidation, and economic violence targeting a senior female professional.

When contacted for comments, officials at NITR headquarters declined to respond, citing the ongoing ICPC investigation. Repeated calls to the DG’s official lines also went unanswered at the time of this report.