EDUCATION: ABUJA VARSITY BANNED FROM ADMITTING LAW STUDENTS FOR FIVE YEARS
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Baze University Abuja’s law admissions have been placed on hold for five years by the Council of Legal Education due to the institution’s repeated violations of authorised quotas.
The Nigerian Law School released a statement on Friday revealing that research revealed Baze University—which was established by Yusuf Datti-Ahmed, Yusuf’s running mate for president in the Labour Party—had over 347 backlogs of law graduates waiting to be admitted.
According to the council, the university has enrolled more than 750 law students since 2017, surpassing its allotted 50 students per session, which was supposed to take 15 years to fill.
It further stated that Baze incorrectly offers some students a 3-year legal degree rather than the recognised 5-year national standard curriculum.
As a result, CLE has initially barred the university from law admissions for five years, claiming that this time will allow for the resolution of the backlog and compliance concerns.
The council stated that before contemplating lowering the sanction, follow-up visits would verify that remedies had been put in place. It alerted admissions authorities, such as JAMB, to temporarily direct potential students away from the university.
There has been criticism of the blanket moratorium, despite the presence of gullible or naive parents and students. Officials, however, insist that regulatory control be maintained and pledge to take action regarding the students’ situation.
The Acting Secretary and Director of Administration of the Nigerian Law School, Ms Aderonke Osho, who made this known, said, “At its Quarterly Meeting held on November 23, 2023, the Council of Legal Education (CLE) presided over by its Chairman, Chief Emeka Ngige, SAN, OFR considered the report of the Accreditation panel to the Faculty of Law, Baze University, Abuja.
“It emerged from the findings by the Panel led by the Director-General, Nigerian Law School, Prof Isa Hayatu Chiroma, SAN, that: Baze University consistently and most flagrantly had contravened its admission quota of 50 students per session as approved by the Council of Legal Education with the result that the Faculty is currently having a backlog of over 347 law students waiting to be admitted into the Nigerian Law School.
“Since 2017 the Council of Legal Education had grappled with the excesses of Baze University by admitting over 750 law students which ordinarily would have taken about 15 years of admission based on the quota allotted to the University.
“Baze University runs a three (3)-year LL.B programme for some UTME candidates without the approval of National Universities Commission (NUC), Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB and Council of Legal Education.”
The statement further noted that “Under the NUC Minimum Benchmark Academic Standard (BMAS) for law degree programme in Nigerian Universities, Law is a five (5)-year programme for UTME candidates and four (4)-year for Direct Entry students.
“The Council of Legal Education after thorough consideration of these infractions resolved as follows: The imposition of a moratorium on admission of law students to the Faculty of Law, Baze University, Abuja, with immediate effect;
“The moratorium will last in the first instance for a period of 5 years and may be renewed if no satisfactory action is taken to remedy the situation.
“The Council in the interest of the innocent students, parents and guardians will use the 5 year period to find ways to deal with the backlog of law students admitted by Baze University in excess of its admission quota.
“Follow-up visits will be paid to the university to ascertain the extent of the measures it has taken to remedy the anomalies observed during the accreditation visit.
“The National Universities Commission (NUC), Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Parents, guardians, prospective applicants, and members of the public are hereby put on notice on the status of Baze University Abuja and its faculty of law.”
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