Fake Professorship: ARISE News bars Anthony Kila from its programmes

ARISE News has barred political analyst Anthony Kila from appearing on its television channel and other platforms, citing “unanswered questions” about his acclaimed academic credentials as raised by PREMIUM TIMES investigation.

The television network announced the decision in a statement posted on its Facebook page on Tuesday, saying it would no longer feature Mr Kila.

The decision followed an investigative report by PREMIUM TIMES that questioned Mr Kila’s academic qualifications and prompted the network to seek clarification from him.

According to ARISE News, it contacted Mr Kila on 3 October 2026 and presented him with the findings. He requested additional time to respond but had not provided a response 10 days later, the network said.

“Instead the allegations have gotten worse,” ARISE News said, without specifying the additional allegations in its statement.

“In the circumstances, we find that his contributions to The ARISE News Channel is no longer tenable,” the network added.

The network said it was unaware of the allegations when Mr Kila appeared on its programmes as a freelance political analyst, stressing that it took issues of credibility and integrity seriously.

It said it had taken note of the findings of the PREMIUM TIMES investigation and would not feature Mr Kila on its platforms “at any time now or in future,” effective immediately.

The network’s announcement came three days after PREMIUM TIMES published a follow-up investigation on 10 October, reporting discrepancies in Mr Kila’s claimed academic qualifications, from his bachelor’s degree to his doctorate.

In its initial investigation, published on 3 October, PREMIUM TIMES found no evidence that a recognised academic institution had awarded Mr Kila the professorial title he had publicly used for years. The report also raised questions about his academic profiles on the websites of Michael and Cecilia Ibru University and the Commonwealth Institute of Advanced and Professional Studies.

The revelations have prompted action beyond the television network. Michael and Cecilia Ibru University in Delta State, where Mr Kila served as pro-chancellor from August 2025, asked him to step aside pending an investigation into his professorial status. The university cited its commitment to academic integrity and institutional governance.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has also constituted a team to investigate the allegations against Mr Kila and whether the university benefited from his actions.

In a response previously reported by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Kila said he was compiling his academic and professional documents and contacting the institutions concerned. ARISE Television’s statement on Tuesday said he had not responded to the allegations it sent him on 3 October.