The sacked officials were employed about two months ago.

The Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has terminated the appointments of over 1,700 staff members employed in the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education in Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt.

The sacked staff members were employed about two months ago.

Mr Fubara, a former accountant general in the state, succeeded Governor Nyesom Wike on 29 May.

The state government, in a statement, cited "irregularities in the employment process" as the reason for the sacking of the university workers, Vanguard newspaper reported.

The Commissioner for Education in the state, Chinedu Mmom, signed the statement dated 13 July.

"The Government of Rivers State has observed with dismay the inconsistencies/ irregularities and flagrant disobedience to the directives concerning the just concluded recruitment exercise at the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt.

"Therefore, the recent employment exercise conducted by the management of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt is hereby cancelled.

"All appointment letters issued and received are hereby nullified and the affected persons are directed to return the letters to the office of the Registrar of the Institution and other employment-related properties such as ID Cards in their possession to the office of the Head of Service, Rivers State immediately," the commissioner said in the statement.

The institution was established in 1971 as a College of Education and was converted to a university in 2009 during Governor Rotimi Amaechi's administration.

It became the second state-owned university in the state after Rivers State University of Science and Technology.