Atiba University in Oyo State has come under scrutiny after its Deputy Vice-Chancellor was captured in a video describing some protesting law students as “intellectually bankrupt.”
The students had gathered to protest the 10-year moratorium recently imposed on the university’s Law programme by the Council of Legal Education (CLE), raising concerns about how the decision could affect their education and progression to the Nigerian Law School.
During the confrontation outside the university on Monday, the DVC urged the students to remain calm and listen to the university’s position on the matter.
He warned them against making statements about issues they did not fully understand and told them that their current circumstances could change in the future.
The students, however, insisted that the university official should address the immediate concerns surrounding their Law programme.
The exchange became tense when one of the students presented a document bearing the date of the CLE decision.
The DVC dismissed the relevance of the date and maintained that the students needed to understand the underlying issues surrounding the programme rather than rely solely on what was circulating online.
He also told the protesters that the problems affecting the Law programme existed before the university obtained accreditation, a claim that was met with boos from some of the students.
Why students are protesting
The confrontation followed the CLE’s decision to impose a 10-year moratorium on Atiba University’s Law programme.
The council said the university’s facilities were unsuitable and inadequate for the establishment and operation of a Faculty of Law.
It also alleged that the institution admitted and graduated students without securing the necessary approval.
The decision has raised concerns among affected students and graduates, particularly over their ability to proceed to the Nigerian Law School and continue their legal careers.
NANS backs protesting students
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has joined the students in demanding a resolution to the situation.
NANS President, Akinteye Babatunde, shared a video on Tuesday that appeared to show the university’s DVC climbing a fence while trying to leave the premises.
Babatunde linked the incident to the earlier confrontation between the official and the protesting students and expressed solidarity with the affected students.
In a statement dated August 24, 2026, NANS accused the university management of continuing to admit students into the Law programme despite concerns surrounding its recognition and approval by the CLE.
The students’ body said the situation had left graduates unable to proceed to the Nigerian Law School and questioned why admissions into the programme allegedly continued despite the outstanding regulatory issues.
NANS called on the National Universities Commission (NUC) to withdraw Atiba University’s licence and urged the institution to resolve the issues affecting the Law programme.
It also demanded that the university provide affected students and graduates with a clear pathway to the Nigerian Law School.
The association warned that failure to address the concerns could lead to further action.
The controversy has now placed renewed attention on the regulatory requirements for university Law programmes and the responsibility of institutions to ensure that students are not left stranded because of accreditation or approval problems.