Atiba University Law Programme Crisis Deepens as NANS Joins Students’ Agitation

NANS has joined the agitation by law students of Atiba University, Oyo State, over the unresolved regulatory issues surrounding the institution’s Law programme and the inability of affected graduates to proceed to the Nigerian Law School.

The NANS President, Babatunde Afeez Akinteye, disclosed the development in a statement on Monday, saying the leadership of the association would participate in the ongoing agitation by affected students.

Akinteye also called for the suspension of Atiba University’s licence by the National Universities Commission (NUC) until the issues affecting the students are resolved.

“Law students in ATIBA UNIVERSITY, shout down the university, over the injustice done to them by the school management,” he said in a post on X.

“It’s time NUC suspend the University licence until the issues affecting the law students are resolved. The Leadership of NANS will be joining this agitation going forward.”

The latest development follows a seven-day ultimatum earlier issued by NANS to the university management over the crisis affecting students and graduates of its Law programme.

NANS had said it received complaints from affected students, including some who began their studies in 2020 and had completed their academic requirements and examinations but remained unable to proceed to the Nigerian Law School.

The association linked the impasse to regulatory concerns involving the Council of Legal Education (CLE), which is responsible for regulating legal education and admission into the Nigerian Law School.

The crisis reportedly followed the Council’s decision to place the university’s Law programme under a 10-year moratorium after concerns were raised over the programme’s regulatory approval and the adequacy of its facilities.

The development has left some students and graduates uncertain about their professional progression despite spending several years in the programme and paying tuition and other associated fees.

NANS had demanded that the university provide a clear pathway for affected students and graduates who had fulfilled the academic requirements necessary to proceed to the Nigerian Law School.

It also demanded an account of students admitted into the programme, including their admission periods, as well as information on the regulatory status of the programme and the university’s engagements with the Council of Legal Education.

The association further called for transparency over the academic and financial status of affected students, including fees paid and the status of those who had completed their examinations.

NANS warned that failure to address the issues within seven days would lead to further action, including the relocation of its national secretariat to Atiba University until the matter was resolved.

The latest protest and call for regulatory intervention indicate an escalation of the dispute, with NANS now seeking direct involvement in efforts to resolve the students’ grievances.

The university had earlier said it was working to address the regulatory and administrative issues surrounding the programme.

The dispute has continued to generate concerns over the fate of students who enrolled in the programme before the regulatory issues emerged and are now seeking a clear route into professional legal training.