The Senate of the Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba, Kogi State, has expelled six 100-level students for gross examination misconduct after they allegedly rewrote an examination at the private residence of their lecturer.
The Senate also approved the withdrawal of nine other students for poor academic performance and failure to register for two consecutive semesters.
The decisions were taken at the 167th Regular Meeting of the Senate held on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at the university auditorium.
The university management had, on July 1, 2026, acted on credible intelligence that a lecturer was coordinating students to rewrite an examination at his residence.
The operation led to the arrest of Dr Maji Okpanachi of the Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, alongside some students, by the university’s security operatives at his residence behind the Police Area Command Office, along Idah Road, Anyigba. Exhibits were also recovered at the scene.
The matter was subsequently referred to the Examination Misconduct Committee.
At its 167th meeting, the Senate considered the report of the committee, which corroborated the security report, confessional statements by the lecturer and the students, and other available records, confirming that the students rewrote the examination days after it was officially conducted.
The committee further revealed that the affected students each paid N10,000 to the lecturer to rewrite BOT102 (Introduction to Plant Science) at his residence.
Consequently, the Senate approved the expulsion of the following 100-level students of the Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology:
1. Itodo Ojonugwa Jeremiah – 26PL1071 2. Olloh Kizito Ojoajogwu – 26PL1033 3. Okpanachi Favour – 26PL1065 4. Abdulkadiri Senusi – 26PL1031 5. Umar Imran – 26PL1038 6. Lawrence Salami – 26PL1124
The Senate also approved the referral of Dr Okpanachi to the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee for appropriate disciplinary action in line with the university’s rules and regulations.
In a related development, the Senate approved the withdrawal of nine students for failure to register for two consecutive semesters and poor academic performance.
Those withdrawn for failure to register are Suleiman Salamatu (22SC1059), Social Studies Education; Abdullahi Hossana (21BF1003), Banking and Finance; Anaja Victor Anome (21BF1043), Banking and Finance; Emmanuel Arome (21BF1075), Banking and Finance; Odutola Nancy Oluwanifemi (21BF1138), Banking and Finance; and Olarewaju Segun Abayomi (21BF1147), Banking and Finance.
Those withdrawn for poor academic performance are Adam Safiyat (24MC1065), Musa Favour (24MC1086), and Umolo John Philip (24MC1192), all of the Department of Communication and Media Studies.
Meanwhile, the case of Jude Ojoajogwu Itodo (26PL1068) has been referred to the Examination Misconduct Committee for further investigation.
Reacting to the decisions, the Vice-Chancellor and Chairman of Senate, Prof. Salisu Ogbo Usman, said the university would not tolerate any act capable of compromising the credibility and integrity of its academic and examination processes.
Usman reaffirmed the commitment of the Senate and management to maintaining high standards of academic excellence, discipline and integrity, and commended the committees for their thorough investigations.
He urged students to remain focused on their studies and to comply fully with the university’s academic and examination regulations.
The affected students have been directed to surrender all university property in their possession, including identity cards, to the appropriate authorities.
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