Federal High Court Orders UNICAL to Pay ₦55 Million to Demoted "UNICAL 8" Engineering Students

The University of Calabar (UNICAL) has been ordered by the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar to pay ₦55 million to eight engineering students popularly known as the “UNICAL 8.”

Justice R. O. Dugbo-Oghoghorie ruled that the university illegally admitted students into an engineering programme that lacked accreditation from the National Universities Commission (NUC).

The court described the university’s actions as “fraudulent, reckless and deceitful.”

The affected students, led by Idiong Ekpedeme Godwin, were among over 200 students demoted in 2021 from final and third year to second year after the accreditation issue surfaced.

According to the judgment:

₦50 million was awarded as general damages

₦5.247 million was awarded as special damages for psychological trauma and academic delays

Evidence presented in court showed that the engineering programme only secured full accreditation in the 2024/2025 academic session, when the students should have already graduated.

UNICAL’s Public Relations Officer Eyo Eyo said the university will issue a formal response to the ruling.