The authorities of the Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education (AIFUE), Owerri, have refuted a report attributed to an online blog (not The Guardian), alleging that the institution was among the 20 others with a student admission strength of less than 1,000 in 2024/2025 in the country.

The management also expressed disgust over an aspect of the publication that was critical of the Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, on the issue.

In a statement made available to The Guardian on Monday by the institution’s Head of Public Relations, Nnaemeka Ijioma, it informed that it was false that it admitted 942 students as published on the platform, maintaining that during the Matriculation ceremony that took place in April 4, the Vice – Chancellor had said in his address that 2,428 students were being matriculated for the said session.

The institution threatened legal action if the online blog failed to retract the publication, claiming it was a deliberate attempt to suggest that the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) would withdraw funding from the AIFUE, as a false claim.

The statement read: “The attention of the Management of Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri (AIFUE) has been drawn to a malicious and puerile publication captioned, “20 Tertiary Institutions Struggle to Enrol 1,000 Students Each – Report” and being peddled by an online blog hosted on the Opera News platform purporting that the University admitted only “a total of 942 students” for the 2024/25 academic session.”

The statement continued: “Ordinarily such an infantile and unfounded report by an unknown blogger whose modus operandi seems to be the use of clickbait and sensationalism to earn money on Opera News would not merit a response, but this report goes further to falsely link this fabricated number to Federal Government policy, thereby dangerously insinuating that the University is at risk of losing crucial funding from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

“Also, linking the Honourable Minister of Education to the falsehood is embarrassing and maligns the person and the office. Unfortunately, this disinformation campaign has gone viral on social media and the mainstream press. Therefore, this malicious and fabricated claim necessitates an immediate and categorical rebuttal.”

On the figures dished on the online medium, the statement read: “This insidious report by theglittersonline.com.ng is as ridiculous as it is laughable. One wonders from where the so-called bloggers hallucinated the figure of 942. JAMB admission for the 2024/25 session was conducted using the cutting-edge Central Admissions and Processing System (JAMB CAPS), with the data on the total admission numbers visible only to JAMB and the concerned Institution.

“Secondly, Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri, conducted a public and well-reported Matriculation ceremony on Friday, April 4, 2025, where the correct figure was announced and widely reported by the news media. The event held at the University Pavilion was attended by thousands of students and their parents, staff of the University, dignitaries, visitors and the press.”

Still clarifying the actual figures of students admitted for the year 2024/2025, Ijioma stressed: “At this landmark event, which was the historic first matriculation of students since the institution’s upgrade to a University, the then Acting Vice-Chancellor formally announced that the number of matriculating students was 2,428. A cursory Google search returns over ten sources, with this correct figure, including reputable and easily recognisable platforms like the Nation Newspaper, the University website and trusted Facebook pages.

“These platforms also reported the breakdown: 2,383 Bachelor’s degree and 45 Professional Diploma in Education students. With all this information available from a simple Google search, one begins to wonder about the motive of the purveyors of this fake news.”

He also traced the history of the institution, despite its recent status as a university by the federal government.

“Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri may be a new University, but it has been training degree students since 1981, in affiliation with the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. With a current total student population of almost Ten Thousand, including UNN students who have not completely passed out, the University is thriving. It has released two admission lists for the 2025/26 cohort, admitting nearly Two Thousand (2000) students already,” he said.

The statement posited its stand on the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), on the admission issues at the university as at this month, ” Following the extension of the admission window for public universities from October 31 to November 17, 2025, by the JAMB Registrar, the University is rounding off this admission cycle and invites qualified and interested candidates who wish to apply to quickly change their institution to Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education, Owerri.”

Ijioma, for the avoidance of doubt, explained the degree courses approved by the relevant authorities, “Available Programmes span across the Arts, Education, Sciences and Technology and include B.A, B.Ed and B.Sc degrees. The University urges Interested candidates to visit the University website www.alvanikoku.edu.ng for more details.

“AIFUE boasts of experienced and quality lecturers, functional laboratories, workshops, studios and one of the best libraries in Imo State, with access to e-Library facilities for its students. At the moment, four (4) hostels are receiving a major turnaround maintenance funded by the TETFund.”

The authorities of the AIFUE demanded an unreserved apology from the medium.

“The Management demands an immediate takedown of the offensive post by theglittersonline.com.ng and an unreserved public apology for the attempt to spread misinformation and undermine the integrity of a federal institution. Failure to do so will leave us with no alternative but to take legal action.”

The statement also urged the public to disregard the report and consider it fake news.

“We urge the public and our valued stakeholders to unequivocally ignore this fake news and rely only on information published on the official University website, www.alvanikoku.edu.ng,” it appealed.