Education
Atiku: I never said I would hand over federal universities to states
Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has clarified his comment made on federal universities at the Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference held on Monday in Lagos.
Atiku, who was one of the panelists at the event on Monday, while narrating his encounter with a professor at the Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi State, had said the Federal Government lacked the resources for effective management of federal universities in the country.
He was thereafter reported as saying he would hand over those universities to state governments.
But in a statement, Paul Ibe, media adviser to the PDP presidential candidate, said Atiku only referred to his plans for a phased devolution of power to the federating units.
Ibe stated, “For the avoidance of doubt, Atiku did not say that he would hand over federal universities to state governments if elected president in February next year.
The statement read in part, “The report is false, untrue, unfounded, and not a true reflection of what Atiku Abubakar said while responding to a question on devolution of powers, a key component of his policy framework.
“What the PDP presidential candidate referred to was his plans for a phased devolution of power to the federating units.
“The report in some sections of the media is therefore a misleading and false account of what transpired when the PDP Presidential candidate fielded questions as a panelist at the opening ceremony of the NBA conference.
“In answering the question posed to him, Atiku Abubakar merely recalled his engagement with a university professor where he argued that the United States of America shared similarities with the first set of universities in Nigeria which belonged to the regional governments and noted that with proper planning and phased devolution of power, federal universities that have now become unwieldy could be made to work better under the component federating units.” He also maintained that education would remain in the concurrent list under his administration when elected.
It stated, “We wish to restate Atiku Abubakar’s avowed commitment to education as a game changer for socio-economic development and national security.
“He remains concerned about the prolonged strike by university teachers and restates his position that under his watch the ASUU-FG imbroglio will be better managed in the interest of both the students and academic staff.
“To underscore his commitment to address the structural deformities in our system, the former Vice President also disclosed that he had empanelled a committee of judiciary experts to draft a presidential position paper which will guide his administration, if elected, from day one, on the terms and conditions of transfer of power and resources to the other layers of government aimed at making the federal government leaner and more effective in its core functions.
“We implore media organisations to be wary of unfounded stories in the course of carrying out their constitutionally guaranteed responsibility of informing, educating, and entertaining the people.”
Education
US cancels visas for Nigerian, other international students
US cancels visas for Nigerian, other international students
A sudden wave of visa cancellations has left hundreds of international students including many Nigerians reeling with uncertainty across the United States.
“This started off looking like isolated cases, but now it’s coming fast and furious,” said Matthew Maiona, a Boston-based immigration attorney, reflecting growing concerns among legal experts and advocacy groups.
A recent Associated Press review revealed that at least 901 students from 128 colleges have already been impacted by the cancellations.
While many impacted students come from countries like India and China, immigration attorneys report that no region appears to be immune from the sweeping crackdown. In several cases, students were reportedly flagged for minor infractions, such as traffic violations.
Four students in Michigan have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government, claiming their visas were revoked without explanation. Similar legal actions are emerging across the country, with judges in states including New Hampshire, Wisconsin, and Montana issuing temporary orders to reinstate some students’ legal status.
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In a marked change from previous procedures, universities are now discovering these visa terminations through the federal immigration database—sometimes before the students themselves are notified.
This abrupt policy shift is leaving many students in a state of uncertainty, with some just weeks away from graduation or starting jobs.
With no official response yet from the U.S. State Department or the Department of Homeland Security, confusion continues to grow.
Some students are being told to leave the country immediately, while others remain in the U.S. to appeal the decision—hoping to avoid detention or deportation.
In the meantime, many have adopted new routines: carrying immigration documents at all times and preparing for worst-case scenarios.
“It’s scary,” said a Chinese Ph.D. student at UNC Chapel Hill. “You don’t know if you’ll be the next one.”
US cancels visas for Nigerian, other international students
Education
No UTME candidates will take exam outside state of registration – JAMB
No UTME candidates will take exam outside state of registration – JAMB
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that candidates will not sit for the board’s examination outside their state of registration.
The announcement was made by JAMB Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday.
Benjamin revealed that candidates who sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) outside their state of registration and residence were sent to the available mock centres closer to their areas.
According to him, the move was because not all the Computer Based Test (CBT) centres were available to conduct the mock examination.
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Benjamin added that all registered centres would be available for the main exercise.
“If centres for mock in Abuja are filled up, and there were available centres in Nassarawa State, candidates will be sent there,” he said.
He, however, added that it was unlikely in the main exercise because there will be more centres conducting the main examination: no candidate would be sent outside their state of residence.
Benjamin further disclosed that early UTME registration also determines the proximity of a candidate’s centre.
If a centre was already filled up, the candidate may be assigned any available centre within the state.
No UTME candidates will take exam outside state of registration – JAMB
Education
NELFUND: How schools, banks are ripping off students
NELFUND: How schools, banks are ripping off students
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) said its recent investigations have revealed have uncovered several unethical practices by some institutions of higher learning in the disbursement of the Federal Government Student Loan Fund, NELFUND.
Paul Odenyi, Deputy Director, Communications and Media, NOA quoted the Director General of the Agency, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu as announcing the findings after meeting with NELFUND Managing Director, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, over the weekend.
According to the statement, the findings from investigations conducted by the Community Orientation and Mobilisation Officers (COMO) of NOA revealed that the tertiary institutions and banks are conspiring to short-change the students who are beneficiaries of NELFUND.
According to the statement, the reports indicated that certain university officials have been withholding vital information regarding loan disbursements, prompting immediate action from NELFUND.
“The NOA’s feedback shows how specific institutions have, in connivance with some banks, deliberately delayed payments to successful student applicants for personal financial benefit. Some universities fail to acknowledge the NELFUND’s disbursements to the students,” the statement by NOA indicated.
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The statement also quoted Sawyerr as confirming that some institutions are failing to inform students about loan disbursements made in their name while still requiring them to pay tuition fees.
He stated, “Recent findings by NELFUND have shown that some institutions have received student loan disbursements directly into their accounts yet neglect to inform the affected students or record the payments in their financial records, leading to unnecessary confusion.
“Withholding critical financial information from students is not only unethical but also a breach of the principles on which NELFUND was founded. We are prepared to take legal action against any institution engaged in such deceptive practices.”
In response, Mallam Issa-Onilu has issued a strong warning to these institutions and collaborating banks to cease such activities.
“NOA has directed its state directorates to provide further feedback from students across the country to ensure that the Federal Government takes appropriate actions against erring schools and banks,” Mallam Issa-Onilu was quoted as saying.
NELFUND: How schools, banks are ripping off students
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