ICPC, NUC shut down 41 ‘Illegal’ Varsities

The ongoing reforms in tertiary institutions got a boost yesterday as the Independent Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) announced the closure of 41 out of the 67 universities whose operations were yet to be regularised. The action was the result of collaboration between the ICPC and the National Universities Commission (NUC) in carrying out systems review of the universities.

It is the first time such a large number of higher institutions will be closed down. Addressing a news conference in Abuja, the ICPC Chairman, Mr Ekpo Nta, said the properties of the 67 universities have been seized. The agency has also arrested the owners. He said that prosecution of the proprietors will be carried out accordingly. Represented by one of his commissioners, Prof Olu Aina, the ICPC boss said: “In keeping with its warning delivered by the chairman last week, ICPC has today commenced a nation-wide operation to seal the premises of identified illegal universities, seize their properties, make arrests, prosecute and execute such other actions it deems fit.

“This action is the first in the series of implementing the outcome of an ongoing ICPC/NUC University Review Study and Review for which ICPC sought and obtained a Federal High Court warrant to crack down on illegal degree-awarding mills in Nigeria,” he said. The ICPC however, refused to disclose plans by the commission to cater for the well being of the students of the universities who’ve spent millions of Naira in securing admissions. “The order we got from the court permits us to freeze the accounts of these institutions. Where the student qualifies to gain admissions into universities, we will help them in getting such. We don’t have money to refund to such students,” Nta affirmed.

Nta said the exercise will end this week. “About 100 people have already been positioned in nine zones of the country. There are 67 of such universities involved and we’ve the addresses of 41 of them. Section 37 of the ICPC law empowers the commission to carry out such functions,” he added. “An inter-agency task team, compromising of ICPC, the NUC, Police, the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Nigerian Security Civil Defence Corps will continue the exercise until all corrupt practices associated with the physical existence of such illegal institutions cease completely.

Roll call

1.            University of Accountancy and Management Studies

2.            Lagos Institute (Illegally affliated to Olabisi Onabanjo University for degree awarding)

3.            University of Carribean

4. University of Education Winneba Ghana Nigeria Agency: Faculty Development Centre Study Centres:

5.Irish University Business School Doseg International College,

6. Christ Message International University

7. University of Nigeria (Illegal Degree Awarding Study Centre, Campaus)

8. University of Ibadan (Illegal Campus) Agent: Quality Merchandise Associate

9. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho

10. EC-Council University

11. Halifax Gateway University

12. Royal Institute Of Continuing Education (Illegally running degree of AAU, Akungba Akoko)

B. South-East Zone Abia State

1.Volta University College

2.Abia State University (Illegal study Centre) International Secondary SchoolAbia.

3.Pilgrims university

4.Triumphal university Omugbo Town

5.Atlanta International University

6. Christians of Charity American University of Science and Technology

7.Richmond Open University Arochukwu,

Ebonyi State

8. Rockvile University

9. Royal University, Izhia Abakaliki Ebonyi.

10.Urban university College of Nigeria

Enugu State

11.Luminar International Centre for Health and Alternative Medicine

12. Atlas University

13. Christ Alive Christian Seminary and University

C. South South Zone

Akwa Ibom State

1.Atlas University

 Delta State

2. Imo State University (Illegal satellite Campus) Lucia Group of Schools Okwe Asaba

Kogi State

1.Atlanta University CMML Secondary School Ayamgba, Kogi State.

Benue State

2.Samuel Ahmadu University

3. Irish Univesity Business School London

4. North Central University

Kwara State

5.Concept College (London)

  Abuja (FCT)

6. Open University of Nigeria

7.Temple University Mazarene Children Academy Orozo, Abuja.

8.University of Applied Management, Germany

9.Federal College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine of Nigeria

10.Concept College London Abuja Camput

11.Imo State University

E.            North-West Zone

   Kano State

1.Houdegbe North America University

2.The International Universities (TIU) Missouri,

Kaduna State

3.            Mr. David Lornem New Idea Management Consultant and Open Learning Network.