The National Universities Commission has shut down an illegal part-time programme allegedly operated by the Imo State University in Abuja.
The NUC also summoned the Vice-Chancellor of IMSU to Abuja to explain why the university is running a part-time programme in Abuja.
The illegal programme which is operated at the Junior Secondary School, Area 10, Abuja, was sealed on Saturday with the help of some armedpolicemen who accompanied the NUC Committee on Closure of Illegal Universities to the venue.
The police also arrested the Coordinator of the Part-Time programme, Mr. A. C Odunze, who tried to run away when he saw the policemen.
A visiting Professor to the NUC and the Chairman of the Committee on Closure of Illegal Universities who was part of the sealing, AdebisiBalogun, also gave a graphic detail of the incident and how it was carried out.
He said, “You saw that most of the lecturers by the time we came in ran out of the classrooms. The said coordinator has been caught and he is in police net. They are running an illegal institution.
On many occasions, the NUC has placed advertorials on illegal part-time programmes and some of the universities that are running those programmes; the NUC had talked to them.
“But unfortunately, the illegality still persists and this is one of the illegal outfits. This outfit is in conjunction with the Imo State University. There are regulations governing the establishment of part-time and affiliated programmes. And they are running so many programmes here that have not been approved by the NUC.
“You can see the type of environment where they carry out the illegality. This is not a conducive environment for learning. We once met the coordinator and told him that the programme had been abolished. But the information we had still showed that they were running the part-time programme.
“Having given the Imo State University several warnings, this programme is cancelled and the VC of Imo State University will be summoned to answer various questions. We are going to allowthe law to take its course. The coordinator was running away when we arrested him and took him to the police station.
“They had assured the students that the programmes they were running were legal, unfortunately it is a way of defrauding membersof the public. They have been able to deceive many people, collected money from them and even the students themselves were running when we got here and refused to listen to the appropriate authorities over the illegal programmes they are running.
“That is what the NUC has been saying, if you go and patronise an illegal outfit, your certificate is illegal, because at the end of the day, this certificate will still be verified by the NUC. And if NUC cannot verify your certificate, even after spending five to six years for a programme, then of course there is a problem. You can never use that certificate.
“Some of the students listened to us while others felt they had been here for the past five to six years and they deserve to get a certificate. Yes they deserve to get a certificate from the programme they have subscribed to, but whether this programme is legal or illegal is left for the coordinator of the Imo State University and NUC to decide. And NUC is now saying that the programme is illegal.”
Some of the students who spoke to journalists expressed disappointment over the development and vowed to see to the end of thematter. They added that they could not just waste their money and time.
One of them, Mr. Aye Ayeni said, “The coordinator kept telling us that the programme is legal and that the NUC is aware of the part-time programme. I have spent five years on this programme and I am not ready to let go just like that. I will see to the end of this.”
Meanwhile, the coordinator of the programme, Odunze, according to the police, will be in custody until the issue is resolved.
Also, One Concept College London situated in Gwarinpa area in Abuja, was shut down by NUC for illegal activities and the coordinator, Mr. Marcel Ezenwoye, was handed over to the policefor appropriate action.
Culled from punch
