Law graduates left hanging as NUC denounces Houdegbe North American University

Students who graduated from the Law Faculty of the Houdegbe North American University have been rejected by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

According to the NUC Director of Academic Standards, Dr Gidado Kumo, the university has not been accredited.

Kumo said the institution refused to allow the Commission to carry out assessment despite an official request for same.

“We have made it very clear that any degree obtained in Houdegbe North American University within the shores of Nigeria is not accepted," Kumo said.

“In February 2015, we had cause to request for a joint assessment visit to the university with the Council for Legal Education.

READ: "Online degrees are not accepted in Nigeria"

“We requested a joint accreditation visit but we were flatly refused by Houdegbe North American University."

The Director noted also that the institution graduates about three times the number graduated by regular Nigerian universities' law Faculties.

“At the moment, the institution has been graduating over 600 students from its law faculty whereas in Nigeria, the highest output from any law faculty is about 200."

According to Kumo, all these graduates will be rejected.

“So, our decision is that no law graduate of Houdegbe University will be mobilized for the BL programme with the Council for Legal Education.”

READ: Maryam Abacha University degrees are substandard, unacceptable — NUC

With this decision, students who enrolled at the institution in good faith and graduated duly will be punished for the crime of the management.

It is unsure how their case will be handled.

Meanwhile, the NUC Director of Information and Public Relations, Ibrahim Yakasai, has announced that degrees obtained from Maryam Abacha American University of Niger Republic (MAAUN) are sub-standard and will not be accepted in Nigeria.

Yakasai added that certificates obtained from online universities which offer academic programmes without provision for physical contact with admitted students are not recognized by the Nigerian constitution.