A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Afe Babalola, on Sunday charged the National Universities Commission (NUC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to move against operators of illegal universities in the country.
Babalola, who made the call at the 9th Convocation Ceremony of Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), Ado-Ekiti, said the arrest and prosecution of operators of illegal universities would safeguard the nation’s education system from imminent collapse.
The ABUAD founder urged the NUC to be strict and thorough in regulating the establishment of universities in Nigeria.
He also cautioned state governors against establishing universities for political reasons.
He stressed that many of such universities become unsustainable after the governors leave office.
Babalola said: “Most disappointedly, the National Assembly for some time now approved the establishment of one subject universities in members’ constituencies.
“One remembers the fate of state universities established by some governors in their localities, which were not sustainable after they left power.
I call these universities political universities. I call on NUC, which in law is authorized to approve the establishment of universities, to ensure that the conditions laid down in law are strictly followed.
“The NUC on its website had been publishing names of illegal universities annually. This means no action had been taken against those which were discovered the previous years.
“The damage done to education by these illegal universities is irreparable.
“I call on the Federal Government, Federal Ministry of Education, NUC, EFCC to identify these universities, their operators and teachers and take appropriate sanctions which include forfeiture of the property and imprisonment of collaborators.”
