YOLA — The President of the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Dwayne Frazier, says the university was not aware that a former army officer it employed as a lecturer had a past criminal conviction. In an interview with Premium Times, Frazier responded to the newspaper's earlier report that Bello Magaji, who was convicted by a military court, later received a pardon and was employed by AUN. Frazier said Magaji was hired before his administration, and that different dates of birth on his records confused background checks. He said the military could not match Magaji to the record because of the different birthdate and an older photograph, and a letter stated that he had been honourably discharged. Frazier said Magaji had been placed on administrative leave and committees set up to give him a fair hearing. He disputed Magaji's claim that the university never asked about his past, saying the application form clearly requests a complete work history.