UNICAL suspends lecturer for allegedly altering exam results

The University of Calabar (UNICAL) has suspended Joseph Akpan, a lecturer and former Head of the Department of Pharmacology, over allegations of misconduct.

The institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Florence Obi, announced the suspension on Wednesday in Calabar.

Akpan is accused of altering the examination results of 235 out of 242 scripts for the course “Introduction to General Antimicrobial Pharmacology (PHM 311)” using his position as HOD.

According to the Vice-Chancellor, only five scripts were genuinely marked without tampering, and Akpan allegedly assigned marks to two students who did not sit for the exam.

Appearing before the Senate Examination Misconduct Committee (SEMC), Akpan reportedly admitted to inflating scores to protect the department’s reputation an explanation the university deemed unacceptable.

In response, the university has removed him from his roles as HOD and Coordinator of PHM 311, effective October 8, 2024, and suspended him from duty.

His responsibilities will be reassigned, and he has been instructed to stay away from campus unless summoned by relevant committees.