Coal City University, Enugu, has rejected allegations that it owes staff salary arrears and that its employees embarked on a six month strike, describing the claims as false, misleading, and damaging to the institution's reputation.

Vice Chancellor Professor Afam Ituma made the denial on Monday at a press conference held on the University's Enugu campus, where he also addressed a separate incident involving members of the University community that occurred on 10 June.

"The University categorically refutes the allegations of non payment of staff salaries and the alleged six month staff strike arising therefrom. Staff salaries have been paid consistently, and the University does not owe its employees any salary arrears. Furthermore, there has never been any staff strike action in the history of the University. These allegations are entirely false, misleading, and devoid of any factual basis," Ituma stated.

On the 10 June incident, the Vice Chancellor disclosed that the university had acted before media reports emerged, suspending the staff member and students directly involved and constituting a Review Committee to investigate the circumstances. He added that any suggestion the university's response was triggered by external pressure was inaccurate.

Ituma revealed that the student at the centre of the controversy was a beneficiary of the Institution's scholarship programme but maintained that this status would not influence the committee's findings. "The Review Committee has been mandated to examine the matter objectively and submit its recommendations to Management," he said.

The Vice Chancellor also confirmed that all 26 academic programmes offered by the university had received full accreditation from the National Universities Commission, and that academic, research, and administrative activities remained uninterrupted.

He added that the University was conducting a broader review of policies covering student welfare, staff conduct, conflict resolution, and campus safety to strengthen institutional governance.

Ituma urged the public, students, parents, and alumni to rely solely on the University's official communication channels for accurate information, and called on media organisations to verify facts and present all sides of contentious issues before publication.