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Concerned members of staff of the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) have petitioned the institute’s governing board over alleged age falsification, illegal salary withdrawals and gross misconduct involving the Director of Human Resources, Adenike Adesanya.
In the petition dated 25 February and addressed to the agency’s governing board, the petitioners said they were compelled to act “in the interest of transparency, accountability and prudent management of public resources.”
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In a copy of the letter seen by this newspaper, the petitioners alleged that Mrs Adesanya has continued to draw full government salaries and emoluments since 2024 despite having attained the mandatory retirement age of 60.
According to them, her international passport — which they described as the most authentic and internationally recognised means of identification — indicates that she was born in 1964. However, they alleged that her official personnel records at the institute reflect 1966 as her year of birth.
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They claimed this discrepancy amounts to a deliberate falsification of age that unlawfully extended her service by two years, resulting in what they described as the illegal withdrawal and misappropriation of public funds running into millions of naira.
The petitioners further stated that Mrs Adesanya has continued to use the same passport bearing the 1964 date of birth for official and personal international travels, most recently in December 2025 and January 2026.
“Despite having attained the age of 62 years, she continues to report for duty and has refused to relinquish her position,” the petition read in part.
They also alleged that she is exerting pressure on the Director-General, the Governing Board Chairman and the institute’s management to extend her retirement age to 65 years — a move they argued falls outside the statutory powers of the institute.
The petitioners said copies of her international passport and other relevant documents confirming 1964 as her actual year of birth were attached to their complaint.
Demands
The concerned staff requested that Mrs Adesanya be directed to step aside to allow for a “comprehensive, independent and forensic investigation” into her actual date of birth and related financial transactions.
They also called for the recovery and refund of all salaries, allowances and other benefits allegedly received illegally over the past two years.
“We have confidence in the FRIN Governing Board to act impartially and swiftly respond to matters of this nature,” the petitioners stated, urging the authorities to treat the matter with urgency to sanitise the institute and deter similar conduct.
As of the time of filing this report, Mrs Adesanya and the management of FRIN had yet to publicly respond to the allegations.
When contacted on Sunday, Mrs Adesanya asked this reporter to come over to Ibadan before she could comment on the matter.
“I cannot talk to you. I don’t know who you are, come to the institute in Ibadan if you need answers,” she said.
Several top officials at the institute who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES confirmed the allegations.
A senior official said that she is expected to step down to allow for a proper investigation, noting that age falsification is a criminal offence that should be addressed accordingly.
“Once alleged, she’s supposed to be interdicted and investigated by the Disciplinary Standing Committee and findings submitted to the Governing Council for Decision,” another senior official told PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday.
Governing board reacts
However, in reaction to the petition, the FRIN Governing Board Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Zacharia Yaduma, in a letter dated 27 February and addressed to Mrs Adesanya, asked her to respond to the allegations on or before 12 noon on Monday, 2 March, or face disciplinary proceedings.
“The FRIN Governing Board Chairman and I are in receipt of a formal petition containing serious allegations of age falsification against you in your official records and service particulars,” the letter read.
It stated that the petition claimed Mrs Adesanya allegedly manipulated her personal records at the institute to reflect the year 1966, while her international passport reflects 1964.
“In view of the gravity of the allegation, you are hereby required to submit a comprehensive written response to the petition, addressing all the issues raised therein on or before Monday, 2nd March, 2026 (12:00pm) while you still remain in office,” the governing council directed.
It added: “Please note that failure to comply with this directive within the stipulated timeframe will be viewed as an admission of guilt and may result in the initiation of appropriate disciplinary proceedings in line with the Public Service Rules.”
What the Public Service Rules say
Under the Federal Public Service Rules, Rule 100401 defines serious misconduct as a specific act of very serious wrongdoing and improper behaviour which is inimical to the image of the Service and which can be investigated and, if proven, may lead to dismissal.
The rule lists offences including “Falsification of records,” “Corruption,” “Embezzlement,” “Misappropriation,” “Fraud,” and “Any other act unbecoming of a public officer,” among others.
Rule 100404 provides for interdiction where a prima facie case has been established against an officer and it is considered necessary in the public interest that he or she be prohibited from carrying out official duties pending the determination of the case.
It states that an officer on interdiction shall cease to report for duty, shall not leave his or her station without permission, and shall be entitled to half salary during the period of interdiction.
FRIN
Established in 1954 and headquartered in Ibadan, Oyo State, FRIN is the primary Nigerian government agency for forestry research, biodiversity conservation and sustainable forest management.
It operates under the Ministry of Environment, conducting research on forest products, wildlife and agro-forestry. Its core mandate is to ensure environmental protection, amelioration of degraded environments, and the conservation and utilisation of forest resources for sustainable development.
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However, the institute’s impact across Nigeria’s major biodiversity hotspots is largely considered limited, as forest depletion and illegal logging along the fringes of forests and savannas remain widespread.
Environmentalists have repeatedly warned that Nigeria’s forest cover is in a state of crisis, with estimates suggesting that only 3.7 to 12.8 per cent of the land remains forested, down significantly from previous decades.
Rapid deforestation, driven by agricultural expansion, illegal logging and charcoal production, causes an annual loss of 350,000 to 400,000 hectares, endangering biodiversity and accelerating desertification.
“FRIN is in a state of crisis. I think FRIN needs all the help it can get at this time,” an official who has worked in the institute for decades said.
