Education
IMSU Boils As VC Dares Uzodimma Over Gov’s Amnesty Granted To Over 250 Nursing Science Students … Challenges Governor’s Power To Grant Pardon
By Our Correspondent
The department of Nursing Science of Imo State University, (Orlu Campus) has since last year become a boiling point over the Vice Chancellor’s insensitive position of sacking over 250 Nursing Science students.
It is all about the students from various departments who transferred to the department of nursing science. These students, because of administrative bottle-necks, according to them filled certain forms (transfer forms) and moved to the Orlu campus of the University housing the nursing department.
According to them they moved to Orlu because it would take ages for their papers to be approved and signed. So they had to move pending the school approval. The students pointed out that this has been the tradition.
At a point according to them, during their four hundred level the school started discriminating against them and started calling them ‘non bona fide’ students. Our correspondent gathered that meanwhile, these students have been paying all the necessary fees, including school fees, accreditation fees, etc. The school used them to complete all necessary processes after charging them several levies, only for them to turn around to dump them. The students said they contributed heavily and took it upon themselves to refurbish and paint the departmental building inorder to impress the accreditation panel. All of a sudden the school is telling them to leave.
The students told our correspondent that during their third and fourth year examinations, their papers were sorted out and dumped and that for those two years they have never been issued with any results.
Now in January this year, when Governor Hope Uzodimma was celebrating his first year in his second tenure, one of the affected students called in a phone-in programme asking for the governor’s fatherly intervention.The governor then made a pronouncement on air that he had pardoned those students. He emotionally said that five years in a girl’s life was not something to toy with.The governor said he had told the VC to reabsorb these nursing students and have their parents pay a penalty. The vice Chancellor was said to have rejected the governor’s order on the condition that he must be formally informed.
Just last week, the school authorities published lists of all the affected students with a matching order that they go back and start from their former departments which they had left three years back . They were told to go back to the second year, while their former course-mates in those departments had graduated.
Information reaching our newsdesk said just last Easter Monday, these students sent a delegation to Omuma, the governor’s home to see the governor and plead for another pardon upon the one he had issued in January.
Sources close to the Government House indicated that Governor Uzodimma reiterated his earlier amnesty granted to the students with a caveat that they should step down one year, that to 400 level. That is to say those in the fifth year should go back to four hundred level.The students were said to be very happy with the concession and left the Governor’s country home joyfully. According to them, the students said the governor promised to settle other hitches with the Nursing Council and other problems in a month’s time. He then instructed them to join in the exams which was supposed to kick off by last Tuesday.
However, to the shock of the students and their parents, the school authorities refused them entry into the examination hall yesterday, being Tuesday the 22nd of April saying that they would get a written instructions from the Governor through the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Uchefule Chukwumaeze. The students on the other hand insisted that no examination would be taken in the school in the nursing department unless they are accommodated in line with the Governor’s directives.
Surprisingly, in the morning of Wednesday, 23rd April, information said soldiers had besieged the school gate to prevent the aggrieved students from participating in the examinations.
Meanwhile, reliable sources had quoted the VC to have challenged the Governor for not being in tone with the university procedures, adding that the governor cannot dictate for him.
Imo people, most of them that spoke on condition of anonymity, advise the VC to quickly resolve this issue by obeying the governor’s directives, to forestall a breakdown of law and order and save these children and their parents the trauma they have been passing through.
- Fear grips community over alleged threat letter
There was pandemonium within the vicinity of the Federal Polytechnic Nekede in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo State on Monday when two students of the institution were allegedly ambushed and attacked on their way back from Owerri Municipality, where they had gone to buy an electricity generating set.
A source close to one of the victims who spoke to our reporter said the two friends were driving back to the school through the Amaeze Obibi-Ezena Road at about 7:30 p.m. on Monday when they saw some people flashing torchlights by the bush side. “They initially thought they were security men and kept driving, but the one on the passenger seat suddenly noticed that those they thought were security men had their faces covered,” the source said.
He continued: “He shouted and told his friend to reverse the car. But as soon as they reversed, the gunmen opened fire and riddled the car with bullets. Fortunately, they escaped unhurt.”
The frightening incident has further fueled reports circulating in the area alleging plans by suspected Fulani herdsmen to launch coordinated attacks on Nekede-where the Federal Polytechnic is located-and neighbouring communities.
Anxiety in the area has intensified due to unconfirmed reports that the gunmen had written a letter to community leaders, demanding a certain amount of money to prevent an imminent attack. It was also alleged that intelligence reports suggest that several armed groups who have infiltrated the area have concluded plans to strike within a specific time frame. These reports further claim that the suspected attackers have been receiving supplies, arms, and ammunition for some time and are being reinforced from outside.
Recall that there have been consistent reports of frightening security challenges in the region, caused by the nefarious activities of gunmen who for a very long time have kidnapped, raped, maimed, and even killed their victims around the FUTO, Ihiagwa, Obinze, Avu, and Oforola axis- all in Owerri West Local Government Area.
The Federal Ministry of Education hereby informs the general public that a message currently circulating on social media platforms, alleging that schools nationwide have been directed to close from 24th November 2025, is false, misleading, and did not originate from the Federal Government, the Federal Ministry of Education, any State Ministry of Education or any recognized security agency.
The public is strongly advised to rely strictly on verified information issued through the following official channels:
The Federal Government, The Federal Ministry of Education, State Governments and State Ministries of Education Recognised security agencies
Any announcement, advisory, or notice coming from unofficial or unverified sources should be ignored and not shared. Members of the public are urged to always verify the authenticity of information before circulating it in order to curb the spread of misinformation.
Due to the resurgence in the abduction of students in schools in some parts of the country, the Federal Government on Friday ordered the closure of 41 unity colleges with immediate effect.
In a statement signed by the Director, Senior Secondary Education, Hajiya Binta Abdulkadir, on behalf of the Honourable Minister, said the closure is to prevent possible breach of security in the listed schools.
The principals of the affected schools were directed to comply without delay.
According to the circular, the affected schools are: FGGC Minjibir, FTC Ganduje, FGGC Zaria, FTC Kafanchan, FTC Dayi, FGC Daura, FGGC Tambuwal, FSC Sokoto, FTC Wurno, FGC Gusau, FGC Anka, FGGC Gwandu, and FGC Birnin Yauri.
Others are FTC Zuru, FGGC Kazaure, FGC Kiyawa, FTC Hadejia, FGGC Bida, FGC New-bussa, FTC Kuta-shiroro, FGA Suleja, FGC Ilorin, FGGC Omuaran, FTC Gwanara, FGGC Bakori, FGC Ugwolawo, FGGC Kabba, FTC Ogugu, FGGC Bwari, FGC Rubochi, FGGC Abaji, and FGGC Potiskum.
Also affected by the immediate closure order are: FGC Buni Yadi, FTC Gashua, FTC Michika, FGC Ganye, FGC Azare, FTC Misau, FGGC Bajoga, FGC Billiri and FTC Zambuk.
An analysis of the list showed that most of the schools affected were in the Northwest, Northeast and North Central.
Only few days ago, some students were abducted from their school in Kebbi and only on Friday scores of students were abducted from another school in Niger State.
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