UNICAL Suspends Nine Students, Five From Theatre and Media Studies Over Examination Misconduct

Senate of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) has approved the suspension of nine students for one academic session following their involvement in examination misconduct.

The disciplinary action, approved by the university’s Senate, was based on recommendations from the institution’s Examination Misconduct Committee after consideration of the cases involving the affected students.

The university disclosed the development through a statement issued by its Public Relations Unit and made available to journalists in Calabar on Monday, September 21, 2026.

According to the statement, letters conveying the suspension were issued to the affected students and signed by the University Registrar, Dr Chukwuka Icha.

The suspension covers the 2026/2027 academic session, meaning the nine students are expected to remain away from academic activities throughout the session and are scheduled to resume their studies in the 2027/2028 academic session.

The university did not publicly disclose the specific examination misconduct committed by each of the nine students in the statement. It instead stated that the Senate’s decision followed recommendations made by the Examination Misconduct Committee.

Five of the students affected by the disciplinary action are from the Department of Theatre and Media Studies in the Faculty of Arts, making the department the most represented among the students sanctioned.

The remaining four students are drawn from different academic departments and faculties of the university.

They include a student from the Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences; another from the Department of Geology, Faculty of Physical Sciences; one from the Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences; and another from the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences.

The distribution shows that the disciplinary action cuts across different areas of study rather than being limited to a single faculty or department.

Following the Senate’s approval, the university directed relevant administrative and security officials to ensure that the suspension is fully implemented.

The Acting Chief Security Officer, deans, heads of departments and other relevant university units were specifically instructed to take note of the affected students and comply with the directive.

The suspension means that the students are not expected to participate in academic activities at the university during the 2026/2027 academic session. Their return is expected in the following academic session, subject to the conditions governing their suspension.

The action forms part of the university’s disciplinary framework for dealing with examination misconduct. Examination integrity remains a significant issue in higher education, as institutions rely on established rules and examination procedures to ensure that students’ academic performance is assessed fairly.

At UNICAL, examination misconduct cases are considered through the institution’s established disciplinary processes, with the Examination Misconduct Committee making recommendations to the appropriate authority before final decisions are taken.

In this case, the university said the Senate approved the recommendations of the committee, leading to the one-session suspension of the nine students.

The institution’s decision also places responsibility on academic departments and administrative units to ensure that suspended students do not participate in university activities during the period covered by the disciplinary measure.

The university did not state in the announcement whether the affected students had any further appeal rights or whether additional sanctions beyond the one-session suspension were imposed.

The development comes as universities across Nigeria continue to enforce regulations designed to protect the integrity of examinations and academic qualifications. Examination malpractice can have consequences extending beyond individual students, particularly where institutions seek to maintain confidence in the credibility of their academic awards.

For the nine UNICAL students, the approved sanction effectively puts their studies on hold for the 2026/2027 academic session. They are expected to resume in the 2027/2028 session, according to the university’s announcement.

The University of Calabar has also previously stated its commitment to enforcing disciplinary standards among members of its community. Its official news platform has reported disciplinary action against staff members for various offences, reflecting the institution’s broader use of internal disciplinary procedures.

The latest decision therefore places examination conduct among the areas where the university is applying formal disciplinary measures, with the Senate-approved suspension serving as the immediate consequence for the nine students found liable by the institution’s examination misconduct process.