Ex UniAbuja Students Condemn Amnesty For Malpractice…Demands Immediate Reversal

A group of past students of the of Yakubu Gowon University, formerly known as University of Abuja, has called for the immediate resignation of the Vice Chancellor of the institution,  Professor Lar Patricia Manko and dissolution of the institution's Senate. 

This follows the recent granting of amnesty to students caught in examination malpractice by the Senate of the institution.

The sweeping academic amnesty for indicted students previously implicated in examination sharp Practices span five academic sessions.

The former students under the aegis of Concerned Alumni of University of Abuja, bared their minds in a press statement issued on  Sunday in Abuja and jointly signed by Barrister Mohammad Usman and  Oluwaseun  Akintola. 

According to the Alumni they were shocked when they received the news.

 In their words,  “when we first saw the news on  our various alumni WhatsApp groups,  we all dismissed it as fake news because , to the best of our knowledge, amnesty has never been granted to students caught cheating during examination “

The concerned alumni lamented that at a time when the school rating has remained low , throughout the years , among Nigerian universities, the current action by the Senate, chaired by the Vice Chancellor would completely make it “nothing more than a glorified secondary school.

“Where on earth does one hear of amnesty being granted to expelled or rusticated students who cheated in examination, were caught, faced panel and were either expelled or rusticated? 

"Are they Niger Delta militants, Boko Haram terrorists , bandits or separatist agitators that they should be granted amnesty as part of peace building process? So those of us who forfeited our sleep, read through the night are foolish?

“We were more ashamed by the press statement issued and signed by the university’s acting Director of Information and University Relations, Dr. Habib Yakoob, struggling in lies, to convince Nigerians that decision was taken in good faith and was not politically motivated or targeted at any specific group." 

The group maintained that,  “after speaking with many lecturers who are still very bitter over the action,  we make bold to say it was a decision taken in the interest of powerful Politicians who were caught cheating during examination and punished by disciplinary Panels.

 "A lecturer even told us he heard that millions of  Naira  was given to some persons in the school top management to free some political figures who feel their images were tarnished when the disciplinary committees of the school found them guilty of cheating during examinations.

“We are wondering why Professor Lar Patricia Manko has was  appointed as the acting Vice-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University (formerly the University of Abuja) for a six-month term would superintend over such shame action with barely a month to the end of her tenure”

The concerned alumni insisted that there is more to it than meets the eyes, noting that the defense and explanations made by the Acting Director of Information and University Relations further heightened suspicion in the minds of Nigerians.

“Firstly, why are the names of the students granted amnesty kept secret? We demand to know those who benefited from this shameful amnesty programme of our Alma Mata.

“Secondly, why the haste to grant amnesty to the erring  students just about a month to the expiration of the tenure of the acting vice Chancellor ? 

“Thirdly, what are the terms of the amnesty arrangements for these expelled or rusticated students? Are they to come and collect certificates and go, or to come and rewrite the examinations they were caught cheating in?

“Fourthly, some of those caught and expelled students who took the university to court and lost at the high court and the cases are now at the appeal court,  is the institution not shooting itself on the foot? 

“Fifthly, why is the education minister, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa and National Universities Commission very silent over the matter,  are they accomplices? 

“Sixth, why did the shameful amnesty only covers offences committed between the 2020/2021 academic year and the first semester of the 2024/2025 session? Why this selected period? Who are the special erring students in the period? Again, we demand to know.

"Seventh, why did the  Senate, as the highest academic decision-making body in the university, chaired by the Vice Chancellor, abandon all pressing issues affecting the university, particularly the land issue with the FCT minister, and spent the  full 189th Regular Senate’s Meeting of  Wednesday, May 28, 2025 to deliberate and  grant amnesty to corrupt students”

The group also noted that the “morale of the lecturers who caught those big Abuja politicians and money bags cheating during examination is down. After refusing millions of Naira as bribes and  most of them got life threating messages, only for the top leadership to collect the same money or more  and grant them this  shameful amnesty. How on earth do anyone expect these lecturers to continue standing firm in the face of these show of despicable shame “ 

The group gave the institution seven days to revert the amnesty granted to the students or face legal actions by the concerned alumni of the institution saying,  “we must act fast before the credentials we carry become worthless papers due to the actions of the current managers of our Alma Mata”

The university’s acting Director of Information and University Relations, Dr. Habib Yakoob had at the weekend, issued a statement explaining that the action of the institution was in good faith and not political motivated. 

According to him, “The students who benefitted from this amnesty cut across all faculties and levels. The decision was a result of careful consideration and aimed at ensuring fairness in academic justice,”