KWASU expels 87 students over alleged robbery, others

Kwara State University (KWASU) has said it has expelled no than 87 students for alleged antisocial behaviour in the last two seasons.

The institution added that the students were expelled for alleged involvement in examination malpractices, drug abuse, internet fraud, robbery and others.

KWASU Vice-Chancellor Prof Mohammed Akanbi (SAN) told reporters in Malete Moro local government areas ahead of this weekend hybrid combined convocation ceremonies of the institution.

Akanb said: “Kwara State University has zero-tolerance for indiscipline and misconduct. All cases of indiscipline are investigated and appropriate punitive measures as retaken against students found guilty of such offence. This is to ensure that the few bad eggs among students do no contaminate the decent ones.

“Between 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 academic sessions a total of 87 students were expelled from the university. Their expulsion followed investigation and establishment of their guilt by the Students Disciplinary Committee.”

Akanbi urged the Federal Government and National Universities Commission (NUC) to formulate policies that make it mandatory for all students in tertiary institutions in Nigeria to live on campus.

“Students are also vulnerably exposed to antisocial influences which are inimical to their health and academic career.

Exposure to negative influence outside the university campus is majorly responsible for the involvement of some students in internet fraud, substance abuse and other untoward crimes.

“My administration is working very hard to reverse this trend. Accommodation a greater percentage of our students in the university campus is one of the ways we envisage will solve the challenge,” he said.

The university don also alleged that some commercial transporters “are serving as couriers for the sale and distribution of illicit drugs on the campus.”

On the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 convocation ceremonies, the professor of business law said that “in total, we are graduating 6,620 students at this convocation, 3,864 for the 2019/2020 session and 2,756 for the 2020/2021 session.

“In addition, we are graduating 321 students for higher degrees in the 2019/2020 session and 96 in the 2020/2021 session. Among our first degree graduands, 96 made first class,” he said.

(Daily Independent: Text excluding headline)