UNILAG Weighs Squatting as Hostel Crisis Deepens, Warns Racketeers of Suspension - Newstrends
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UNILAG Weighs Squatting as Hostel Crisis Deepens, Warns Racketeers of Suspension

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UNILAG

UNILAG Weighs Squatting as Hostel Crisis Deepens, Warns Racketeers of Suspension

LAGOS — The management of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) is considering allowing controlled squatting among students as an emergency response to a worsening hostel accommodation crisis that has seen over 30,000 students competing for about 8,000 bed spaces, even as it vowed to impose stiff sanctions on those involved in hostel racketeering.

The Dean of Students Affairs (DSA), Prof. Musa Obalola, said the university was deeply concerned about the situation and had intensified efforts to curb illegal sales of bed spaces.

“We have several stipulated sanctions for students caught selling either bed spaces or squatting spaces. The minimum penalty is one or two semesters’ suspension,” Obalola said, noting that offenders would be tried by the Student Disciplinary Board before punishment is enforced.

He explained that after hostel allocation, the university issues hostel identity cards to successful students, while officials conduct random checks to detect illegal occupants. He warned that the authorities would “come down heavily” on anyone caught engaging in racketeering.

Obalola also faulted some students for exploiting the system. “Why deny your fellow students from bidding, keep the accommodation you already got, and still go ahead to bid and sell?” he queried.

As part of tougher measures, UNILAG plans to publish the identities of students involved in hostel racketeering. The university also disclosed plans, subject to government approval, to enter a public-private partnership (PPP) for the construction of new hostels with over 7,000 additional bed spaces, expected to be delivered within 24 months.

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Meanwhile, one of the university’s official female hostels, Honours Hostel, with a capacity of 511 bed spaces, is currently unavailable due to ongoing renovation.

Students have blamed the recurring accommodation challenges on a combination of late registration of freshers, administrative lapses in some departments, and the activities of racketeers and their agents. Reports indicate that racketeers sell bed spaces for between ₦240,000 and ₦300,000, while squatting spaces reportedly go for as much as ₦180,000.

At the start of the current session, many 100 Level and Direct Entry students were forced to commute daily from home, with some spending over ₦5,000 on transportation each day. In the Department of Quantity Surveying, most 200 Level students were unable to participate in the initial hostel balloting due to alleged delays in course registration.

In response, UNILAG has announced another hostel balloting exercise for students who missed out earlier. According to an official bulletin dated January 5, 2026, applications for temporary hostel accommodation for the 2025/2026 academic session opened at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, for eligible 200 to 500 Level students who have completed course registration.

The bulletin stated that allocation would be done randomly, notifications sent on January 7, payment completed by January 9, and movement into hostels scheduled for January 13, 2026.

In addition, the university has introduced a Temporary Hostel Accommodation (Squatting) window to ease students’ commuting burden. While acknowledging that squatting is ordinarily illegal, UNILAG said the measure is a special privilege, strictly managed by the Student Affairs Division, and not to be assigned by individual bed-space holders.

Students seeking consideration were directed to submit proof of full payment of school fees, duly signed biodata forms, and course registration documents. The university stressed that temporary accommodation “is not a right, but a privilege granted under exceptional circumstances.”

UNILAG Weighs Squatting as Hostel Crisis Deepens, Warns Racketeers of Suspension

Education

NABTEB Releases 2025 Nov/Dec NBC, NTC Results Nationwide

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National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB)

NABTEB Releases 2025 Nov/Dec NBC, NTC Results Nationwide

The National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) has officially released the 2025 November/December NBC and NTC examination results, giving thousands of candidates nationwide access to their performance in the just-concluded exams.

Announcing the release at the board’s headquarters in Benin City, NABTEB Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Aminu Mohammed, said the results were made public 64 days after the last paper, underscoring the board’s commitment to efficiency and transparency.

According to NABTEB, a total of 61,591 candidates sat for the NBC, NTC, ANBC, and ANTC examinations across the country. Of this number, over 34,000 candidates recorded five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics, a key benchmark for employment, technical training, and further education.

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The board also reported a notable decline in examination malpractice, attributing the improvement to tighter supervision, enhanced monitoring, and increased use of technology during the examination process.

Dr. Mohammed said the outcome reflects NABTEB’s growing role in strengthening technical and vocational education in Nigeria, adding that the board remains focused on producing skilled manpower capable of driving national development.

Candidates have been advised to check their results on the official NABTEB results portal, while institutions and employers were urged to continue recognising NBC and NTC certificates as credible qualifications for skills-based careers.

The release of the results has been welcomed by stakeholders, who say the improved performance and reduced malpractice signal renewed confidence in the NABTEB examination system.

NABTEB Releases 2025 Nov/Dec NBC, NTC Results Nationwide

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JAMB Insists 2026 UTME Registration Closes Feb 26, Rules Out Deadline Extension

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JAMB CBT Centre

JAMB Insists 2026 UTME Registration Closes Feb 26, Rules Out Deadline Extension

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has reaffirmed that the registration deadline for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) will not be extended beyond February 26, 2026, urging prospective candidates to complete their registration without delay.

The examination body issued the reminder in its Weekly Bulletin released on Monday, warning that candidates who deliberately postpone registration until the final days should not expect any form of extension.

According to JAMB, there has been a noticeable low turnout at many accredited registration centres weeks into the registration exercise, a trend the Board said often precedes pressure campaigns for deadline extensions.

“The Board has observed with concern the near absence of candidates at many accredited registration centres at this stage of the exercise. This recurring pattern where candidates deliberately delay registration until the final days and subsequently agitate for an extension will not be entertained in 2026,” JAMB stated.

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The Board explained that the tactic is frequently used to trigger mass movement of candidates to registration centres, a situation that increases the risk of examination malpractice and compromises the integrity of the process.

JAMB stressed that it is fully aware of such practices and has factored them into its planning, stating unequivocally that no extension will be granted under any circumstance.

“There will be no extension of the registration period. This notice is issued to ensure that genuine, law-abiding candidates are not misled or disadvantaged,” the Board said.

The examination body reminded candidates that 2026 UTME registration commenced on January 26, 2026, and was deliberately scheduled to run for five weeks, adding that the timeline remains unchanged.

JAMB disclosed that about one million candidates have already indicated interest in the examination, while many others have obtained their e-PINs and are expected to complete the registration process before the deadline.

The Board further explained that extending the registration window would be practically impossible, as its operational calendar is tightly coordinated with those of other national examination bodies. Any adjustment, it said, would disrupt the broader examination schedule and interfere with timelines reserved for other critical assessments.

JAMB therefore urged all prospective candidates to register early at accredited centres and avoid last-minute rushes that could result in missing the opportunity to sit for the 2026 UTME.

JAMB Insists 2026 UTME Registration Closes Feb 26, Rules Out Deadline Extension

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Exam Policy Tragedy: KWASU Final-Year Student Dies After Being Turned Back Over ID Card

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Exam Policy Tragedy: KWASU Final-Year Student Dies After Being Turned Back Over ID Card

A tragic accident involving a final-year student of Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, has sparked fresh concerns over strict examination entry rules in Nigerian tertiary institutions after the student reportedly lost his life while rushing to retrieve his identity card.

The deceased, identified as Idris Aremu Agboluaje, a 400-level Business Education undergraduate, was said to have been denied entry into an examination hall for allegedly failing to present his student identity card, a mandatory requirement during tests.

Witnesses said Agboluaje hurriedly left the venue to pick up the card in a bid to meet up with his first-semester examination but was involved in a fatal road accident on his way back to campus.

The incident has stirred emotional reactions among students and professional bodies within the institution. In a condolence message, the Association of Business Educators of Nigeria (ABEN), KWASU chapter, described the development as “a painful and shocking loss” to the department and urged the university community to support the bereaved family.

As of the time of filing this report, the university management had yet to release an official statement confirming the circumstances surrounding the accident or addressing concerns raised by students. Efforts to obtain reactions from school authorities were unsuccessful.

Background

Most Nigerian universities enforce strict identification policies during examinations as part of efforts to curb impersonation and uphold academic integrity. However, student leaders across campuses have occasionally called for more flexible verification options, especially for final-year students facing high academic pressure.

The latest incident may renew debate over balancing institutional regulations with student welfare and safety, with some students already calling on the management to review procedures to prevent similar tragedies.

Observers expect the university to issue a formal response after internal verification, which could include condolences to the family and clarification of examination protocols.

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