The National Universities Commission (NUC) has shut down an unregistered university in Delta state for illegal operation.
Reports from the Nigerian Tribune confirmed that this recent act was carried out by the NUC in collaboration with officers of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Thursday, June 23.
The coordinator of the said institution, World Mission University, as well as the support staff were also arrested by the agency during the operation on the institution located along the Old Sapele road Abraka, just a distance from the Delta State University (DELSU).
The head of NUC legal department, Moses Awe stated that they had monitored the activities of the institution for the past six months after a student had inquired about the university’s genuineness. The legal practitioner, added that the institution was neither affiliated to a foreign institution, nor was it offering genuine empowerment and scholarship programmes, as they were mere cover ups.
However, the owners of ten unregistered universities are currently being prosecuted by the commission and also six unregistered schools have been closed down in the past one year.
Mrs Lucky, the school’s coordinator, prior to her arrest, insisted that the university started operations in 2010, having being registered by Corporate Affairs Commission.
She said:
Recently, a report from Daily Sun detailed how some universities have consciously ignored the directive of the federal government as regards the recent cancellation of Post UME fees.
The report alleged, that the universities have devised other means to test applicants and charge administrative fees in the process. The universities were said to have invited applicants for admission for the 2016/2017 academic session, ask them to pay certain amount and also sit for a screening exercise before being considered for admission.