NANS issues Atiba University ultimatum to resolve law programme crisis

Two hundred and fourteen students at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) have filed a N5 billion lawsuit against the university, the Vice-Chancellor, the Registrar and President Bola Tinubu over their removal from the Faculty of Law.

The students, all in 200 and 300 levels of the LL. B programme, filed the suit at the Federal High Court, Abuja, on August 12, 2026. They are challenging UNICAL’s directive requiring them to return to the faculties and departments to which they were initially admitted.

The controversy began earlier this month when university management announced that 214 out of 435 students in the LL. B II class would be transferred out of the Law degree programme.

At a meeting on August 5 involving management, Faculty of Law officials and student representatives, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Offiong Offiong, said the affected students entered the faculty from other departments and did not have a valid Law admission.

According to the university, only 221 of the 435 students were “officially admitted” into Law. It said students whose original JAMB admission was not for Law would not qualify for the Nigerian Law School.

Following the directive, the university restricted the 214 students’ access to academic portals. It offered them either a refund of their 2025/2026 fees or free tuition for 2026/2027 in their original departments.

In court documents obtained by The Guardian in Calabar, the students argued they were being punished for administrative failures they did not cause.

Through their lead counsel, Okpi Bernard, they said their admission letters, acceptance, payment of fees, course registration, exams, and JAMB regularisation created a valid relationship with UNICAL.

The students said they were admitted between the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 sessions. Some have already progressed to 300 Level after completing lectures, continuous assessment and examinations.

IN a related development, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has given the management of Atiba University, Oyo State, a seven-day ultimatum to resolve the crisis surrounding its Law programme and provide a clear pathway for affected students and graduates to proceed to the Nigerian Law School.

NANS, in a statement signed by its President, Babatunde Afeez Akinteye, said it had received complaints from students and graduates of the university’s Law programme over unresolved regulatory issues allegedly affecting their progression to the Nigerian Law School.

The students, according to the association, include some who commenced their studies as far back as 2020 and have completed their academic requirements and examinations after paying substantial tuition and other fees.