UNICAL Students File N5bn Lawsuit Over Removal From Law Faculty
Two hundred and fourteen students of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Cross River State, have instituted a N5 billion lawsuit against the university, its Vice-Chancellor, Registrar and President Bola Tinubu over their removal from the Faculty of Law.
The students filed the suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja on August 12, 2026, challenging the university’s decision to transfer them from Law back to the faculties and departments where they were initially admitted.
The controversy followed a directive issued by the university earlier this month asking the affected students, who were in their second year of the LL.B programme, to return to their original departments.
The students, through their lawyers led by Okpi Bernard, argued that their admission letters, acceptance of admission, payment of fees, registration for Law courses, examinations and subsequent JAMB regularisation established a valid relationship between them and the university.
They further maintained that the current Vice-Chancellor, Offiong Offiong, could not invalidate decisions and administrative actions taken by his predecessor, Florence Obi, particularly after the students had spent years studying Law.
According to the students, they were admitted into the Faculty of Law between the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 academic sessions. After accepting their offers, they paid acceptance and school fees, completed screening and participated in lectures, continuous assessments and examinations.
They said they successfully progressed through their studies, with some already reaching 300 Level, before the university instructed them to regularise their admissions through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
The students alleged that complications emerged after Professor Offiong assumed office as Vice-Chancellor in December 2025. They claimed that he declined to complete some regularisation documents initiated during the administration of his predecessor, forcing them to repeat the process and pay additional fees.
At a meeting held on August 5 involving university management, Faculty of Law officials and representatives of the affected students, the students said the Vice-Chancellor announced that 214 out of the 435 students in the LL.B II class would be removed from Law and returned to their former departments.
The university had explained that only 221 of the 435 second-year Law students were officially admitted into the programme, while the remaining 214 entered the faculty from other departments.
According to the institution, students whose original admission was not for Law would not qualify for the Nigerian Law School if they continued with the programme under their current admission status.
The university subsequently restricted the affected students' access to their academic portals to facilitate the transfer. It also offered either a refund of their 2025/2026 school fees or free tuition for the 2026/2027 academic session in their original departments.
However, the students argued that they were being punished for administrative failures for which they were not responsible. They said none of them had been investigated or found guilty of examination malpractice, academic misconduct or violation of university regulations.
They also alleged that they were not given prior notice, queried or invited before the university took the decision to remove them from the Faculty of Law and restrict their access to academic platforms.
The students are asking the court to determine whether the Vice-Chancellor has the power to unilaterally cancel admissions, JAMB regularisation approvals and other official decisions made under his predecessor.
They also want the court to determine whether the university can transfer, eject or demote students, or block their academic portals, without first conducting an investigation and giving them an opportunity to defend themselves.
The students are seeking N5 billion in damages and a declaration that their admission, payment of fees, course registration, examinations and compliance with JAMB requirements created binding obligations between them and the university.
They are also asking the court to declare their removal from the Faculty of Law and the restriction of their academic portal access unlawful and contrary to their right to fair hearing.
In addition, they want a permanent injunction preventing the university, its Vice-Chancellor and Registrar from transferring, demoting, ejecting or otherwise taking adverse academic actions against them.
The students have also asked the court to direct President Tinubu, as the appointing authority for the Vice-Chancellor, to exercise his supervisory powers over the university.
Pending the determination of the substantive suit, the students filed an application seeking an interim injunction to stop the university from implementing the August 5 directive.
They also want the court to order UNICAL to restore full access to their academic result portals, course registration platforms and learning systems, while preventing the university from taking any further action that could negatively affect their academic progress.
