Education
INSECURITY: Varsity Bans Students from Bringing Cars, Motorcycles into Campus
The management of Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU), Anyigba, has banned students from bringing personal cars and motorcycles, particularly Haojue, TVS and other commercial-style motorcycles, into the campus until further notice.
The decision is part of a series of stringent security measures introduced following the June 11 security breach that claimed the life of a 300-level Biochemistry student, David Ocholi Solomon.
In a notice signed by the Registrar, Mr. Siyaka Audu, the university said the measures were approved at the institution’s 401st Regular Meeting of the University Management Committee held on June 15, 2026, to strengthen security within and around the campus.
The management also prohibited the entry of tinted vehicles, vehicles with concealed number plates, and unregistered cars and motorcycles into the institution. Staff members with approved tint permits have been directed to register their vehicles with the Chief Security Officer (CSO).
As part of access control measures, the university announced that the main gate would serve as the only entry and exit point for vehicles, while all other gates would be restricted to pedestrian movement.
The management further directed the CSO to conduct a comprehensive registration and identification exercise for commercial motorcycle operators (okada riders) operating around the campus in collaboration with their union leaders. A speed limit of 35 kilometres per hour within the university environment will also be strictly enforced.
According to the notice, the institution plans to engage solar-powered tricycle operators to complement existing shuttle services and reduce reliance on motorcycles for transportation within the campus.
The university also made it mandatory for all staff and students to visibly display their identity cards while on campus, pending the completion of the ongoing ID card issuance exercise. Vehicle owners will be issued identification tallies, while the replacement of lost tallies will attract a fee of N5,000.
In addition, all visitors to the campus must undergo proper identification and security screening before gaining access. The management also disclosed plans to identify and block illegal routes leading into the institution to prevent unauthorized entry.
To enforce discipline, the university warned that any department or student found violating the existing ban on end-of-examination celebrations would face severe sanctions, including the cancellation of examinations written on the affected day.
Such examinations, the notice stated, can only be retaken during the corresponding semester of the next academic session after the payment of fresh school fees.
The management further revealed that the Kogi State Government is providing Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras and other security gadgets at strategic locations across the campus to enhance surveillance and crime prevention.
The university also reiterated that the suspension of all unauthorized student gatherings and social activities remains in force until further notice. Additionally, the use of cross-body bags has been prohibited as part of the enhanced security measures.
Management urged staff, students and other stakeholders to cooperate fully with the 11-member committee investigating the security breach and comply with the new directives in the interest of safety and stability.
A hostel building has reportedly collapsed at the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, with an unknown number of students feared trapped beneath the rubble.
The multi-storey building reportedly caved in on Sunday night, July 27, 2026, while students were inside.
Eyewitnesses said residents and students in the area heard a loud rumbling sound shortly before the structure suddenly collapsed, sparking panic.
A large crowd reportedly gathered at the scene as residents and students rushed to assist in the rescue efforts before emergency responders arrived.
Rescue operations are ongoing as authorities work to determine the number of people trapped and evacuate those affected.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
Paul University, Awka, has suspended a member of its academic support staff, Ven. Cornelius C. Eze, an Anglican priest, over allegations of sexual misconduct involving a student.
The development also appears to vindicate the management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, which had earlier denied claims circulating on social media that the individuals involved were members of its staff and student body.
In a statement issued by its Public Relations Department, UNIZIK had clarified that neither the alleged staff member nor the student was affiliated with the institution.
Meanwhile, Paul University has launched an internal investigation into the allegations while relevant law enforcement agencies have also commenced their inquiries.
Ven. Eze, who serves as a Practical Biology Technologist in the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, was placed on indefinite suspension pending the outcome of the university’s disciplinary process and the police investigation.
The suspension was announced in a statement dated July 17, 2026, signed by the university’s Public Relations Officer, Rev. Godisplan Onukwufor.
According to the statement, the allegations were brought to the attention of the university management on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. Management said it immediately invited security agencies to intervene in order to prevent a breakdown of law and order following tensions among students.
The university stressed that the suspension is an administrative measure taken without prejudice to the outcome of the investigations.
A video circulating on social media, whose authenticity has not been independently verified, allegedly shows the suspended staff member dressed only in boxer shorts and apparently fleeing from his office amid a commotion. The footage has been widely shared alongside claims that he was caught in a compromising situation by angry students and members of the university community.
However, the university did not comment on the authenticity of the video or the specific circumstances surrounding the incident.
Reaffirming its commitment to ethical standards, the faith-based institution said it maintains a zero-tolerance policy on sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, abuse of office, immoral behaviour, and any conduct capable of endangering the safety, dignity, or welfare of students and staff.
The university stated that anyone found culpable after due process would face appropriate disciplinary measures in line with its regulations and the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Management also disclosed that counselling and psychological support would be provided for the affected student(s) and other members of the university community.
It urged the public to avoid speculation and the spread of misinformation while investigations are ongoing, assuring parents, guardians, students, and staff of its commitment to maintaining a safe, secure, and morally sound learning environment.
The university added that further updates would be provided as investigations progress.
The presidential candidate of the NDC for the 2027 election, Mr. Peter Obi, has described the Federal Government’s suspension of the proposed increase in examination registration fees as a welcome relief and a victory for the Nigerian people.
The Federal Government on Monday suspended the proposed review of registration fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
In a statement, the Federal Ministry of Education said the fee adjustment proposal contained in its June 18, 2026 letter had been withdrawn pending broader consultations with stakeholders.
The Ministry explained that the proposed increase was necessitated by the rising cost of conducting credible national examinations. However, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be placed on hold in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive, transparent and evidence-based policymaking.
According to the Ministry, consultations will be held with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors, parents, organised labour and other stakeholders before any decision is taken. It also assured Nigerians that the proposed fee review would not take effect until the consultations are concluded, while reaffirming its commitment to protecting students’ welfare.
Reacting to the development, Obi commended the government for listening to the widespread public outcry but maintained that the proposed fee hike should never have been introduced.
“While I commend the authorities for listening to the widespread public outcry and suspending the policy, it must be said that the fee was an unnecessary burden that should never have been introduced at this time of great hardship, when we should be doing everything possible to invest in basic education and reduce the millions of out-of-school children in Nigeria,” he said.
Obi argued that at a time when many families are struggling to make ends meet, access to education should be expanded rather than restricted.
“Education is a fundamental right and a public good, not a source of government revenue,” he said.
He added that imposing multiple fees at the basic education level risks denying many children their right to education.
“At that stage, the State has a duty to invest in educating and preparing its citizens for productive lives, not to erect financial barriers that keep them out of school,” Obi stated.
He further noted that true leadership is demonstrated not only by making decisions but also by having the humility to reverse policies that impose unnecessary hardship on the people, adding that many other anti-people policies deserve similar reconsideration.
Obi thanked citizens, parents and advocacy groups whose collective voices contributed to the suspension of the proposed fee increase, concluding with his familiar message: “A New Nigeria is Possible.”
In a Monday statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Education, the ministry said the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated June 18, 2026, had been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review before any final decision is taken.
The ministry, in the release signed by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, said the suspension followed concerns and feedback from members of the public.
“The Federal Ministry of Education announced that the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated 18 June 2026, has been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review and broader consultations with all relevant stakeholders before a final decision is taken,” the statement said.
According to the ministry, the proposed fee review was driven by rising costs associated with conducting national examinations, noting that registration fees have remained largely unchanged for several years despite increasing operational expenses.
It cited higher costs of logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment, quality assurance and other services required to maintain the credibility of public examinations.
The statement said the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be put on hold in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive and evidence-based policymaking.
“The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, has directed that the proposal be placed on hold in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive, transparent and evidence-based policymaking,” it said.
It added that consultations would be held with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors and administrators, parents’ associations, organised labour, education stakeholders and other critical partners before any decision is reached.
Accordingly, the ministry said the proposed review of examination registration fees would not take effect as earlier communicated until the consultation process is concluded.
The Federal Ministry of Education reiterated that students’ welfare, equitable access to quality education and responsible policymaking remain central to the Federal Government’s education agenda and pledged to keep the public informed throughout the consultation process.
FG said it approved N50,000 as the new examination fee for WAEC and NECO for secondary school candidates from 2027.
The initial registration fee was N27,500, which means the new increment comes with an 82 per cent hike.
In a statement on June 18, 2026, issued by the Director of Senior Secondary Education of the Ministry of Education, Adeniji Ibrahim, the approval followed a request by WAEC for an upward review of the fee for the Senior School Certificate Examination for candidates from 2027.
Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the National Association of Nigerian Students had earlier kicked against the Federal Government’s approval of a uniform N50,000 fee for candidates.
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