Parents of students enrolled in the Law programme at Atiba University, Oyo, have asked the federal government and relevant regulatory agencies to urgently intervene in the controversy surrounding the programme’s accreditation.
The parents want affected students transferred to accredited universities without losing the academic years they have already completed.
They are also demanding the release of students’ academic records, reimbursement of tuition and other levies, and an end to further financial demands on students while efforts to resolve the crisis continue.
The parents made their position known through their lawyer, Victor Opatola, in Abuja, amid growing concerns about the implications of a 10-year moratorium imposed on the university’s Law programme by the Council of Legal Education (CLE).
The development has particularly affected students at different stages of the programme, including those who have reached 400-Level and 500-Level.
Parents demand urgent action before new academic session
Opatola said the immediate concern was to prevent students who had spent several years studying Law from losing the progress they had made.
According to him, some of the affected students had spent as many as five years in the programme, with their parents committing substantial financial resources towards their education.
He argued that the students should not bear the consequences of an accreditation dispute involving regulatory authorities and the university.
The lawyer said the parents had approached the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Minister of Education and the CLE in an effort to secure a solution before the commencement of another academic session.
He, however, expressed concern over what he described as bureaucratic delays in obtaining a response from the NUC.
“We have written to the Nigerian University Commission. It is sad that we have written to NUC for almost two months, and our letter and series of follow-up has been embroiled in the bureaucracy of NUC,” he said.
Opatola said the priority should be finding a practical solution that would protect both the students’ academic careers and the money their parents had invested in their education.
“Our aim right now is to ensure that the years of this student do not go to waste as well as the investment of the parent on the students. So, the important thing right now is the resolution of this matter,” he said.
Lawyer seeks transfer of students to accredited universities
The lawyer called for affected students to be moved to accredited Law programmes at other universities without being forced to begin their studies all over again.
He said such an arrangement would allow the students to continue pursuing their ambition of becoming lawyers.
“On a minimum, we are appealing on behalf of these students that their five years should not go to waste, so that these students can feasibly be put into other universities. They can actualise their dream of becoming a lawyer,” Opatola said.
He also appealed to the Council of Legal Education to consider the time already spent by the students when implementing its decision against the university.
While acknowledging that the university had to face consequences over the regulatory issue, he urged the CLE to work with the NUC on a solution that would allow the students to continue their education elsewhere.
“We also call upon the Council of Legal Education. We fully understand that the necessary punishment has been omitted out on the university, but we particularly urge the Council of Legal Education to give special consideration to the years that the students have spent and not allow it to go to waste,” he said.
Opatola further called for the intervention of the Consumer Protection Commission, arguing that the circumstances also raised issues of consumer protection.
Parents petition NUC over Atiba Law programme
The parents’ legal team formally wrote to the authorities on June 30, 2026, demanding steps to protect the affected students.
Among their requests was the release of the students’ transcripts and other academic records without payment.
They also asked that Atiba University facilitate and finance the transfer of the affected students to accredited Law programmes in other institutions.
The parents additionally demanded refunds of tuition and levies paid by the students.
According to their lawyers, the students had enrolled, paid school fees, attended lectures, taken examinations and advanced through different levels of study on the understanding that the Law programme was properly accredited by the relevant regulatory authority.
The parents subsequently petitioned the NUC on July 10, 2026, asking the commission to investigate the matter and intervene urgently.
The petition stated that Atiba University was absent from the CLE’s published list of accredited Law faculties as of June 2026.
It further stated that students from 100-Level through 500-Level had been affected by the situation, including some students who had completed 500-Level but were unable to proceed to the Nigerian Law School.
N75,000 transcript allegation
Another issue raised by the parents concerns an alleged N75,000 charge for the release of academic transcripts.
According to the parents, students seeking to transfer from Atiba University were told they could obtain their transcripts upon payment of N75,000.
“They told the children they could come and take their transcript for transfer with payment of N75,000. They are charging N75,000 for transcript to get transferred to another school. They are shifting all the blame to the parents and students now, trying to exonerate themselves,” they alleged.
The allegation was, however, rejected by the university.
Atiba University says NUC accreditation was obtained
The Vice Chancellor of Atiba University, Prof. S.O. Okeniyi, said the institution had obtained accreditation from the National Universities Commission to operate the degree programme.
He explained that the university had subsequently been seeking accreditation from the Council of Legal Education and had repeatedly requested an assessment by the council.
According to Okeniyi, the university did not intentionally avoid securing CLE approval.
“The National Universities Commission is the only regulatory body in Nigeria that allows degrees to be run in Nigerian universities. Now, we have the accreditation of the National Universities Commission.
“Unfortunately, we have been calling for Council of Legal Education since we had the accreditation of the NUC. There was permission to run the programme. We have been calling on the CLE until lately when they came,” he said.
The Vice Chancellor said the CLE raised concerns about the environment in which the Law students were being trained.
He also disclosed that the council rejected an architectural plan submitted by the university in connection with a proposed new Law faculty.
Okeniyi said the university had appealed the CLE’s decision and was hopeful that the council would reconsider the moratorium.
“So, what I want to tell the parents is that we are working. We are going to appeal. The university is going to appeal. It’s already appealing the decision of the CLE,” he said.
University identifies institutions for possible student transfers
Okeniyi said Atiba University had already identified at least two institutions that could receive some of the affected students.
He added that the university had contacted other institutions as part of efforts to expand the available options for students who may wish to transfer.
“We have also secured two schools that you can transfer. Even more schools because I’ve written to different schools because of our relationship as VCs and as a university,” the Vice Chancellor said.
The university’s position indicates that transfer arrangements are being considered while its appeal against the CLE decision remains ongoing.
University denies N75,000 charge for Law students
Okeniyi also addressed the parents’ allegation over the N75,000 transcript fee.
He said Law students affected by the accreditation dispute would not be required to pay the amount to obtain their transcripts for transfer.
“If you want the transcripts, you don’t need to pay N75,000 for transcripts. But that is an exception for only the law students. What they are complaining about is what is on the school site for collection of transcript, but the parents did not ask us,” he said.
The Vice Chancellor said some students whose parents had already contacted the university had received their transcripts.
He added that arrangements were underway to assist other students who intend to transfer.
Parents and students to meet with university
The university also disclosed that it had already engaged with the affected students and was planning further discussions with their parents.
Okeniyi said the institution had met with students to discuss the situation and was preparing for a meeting with the parents.
With the next academic session expected to commence in September, he said the university was prepared to process transfer requests from students who decide to leave.
“If they come to request for that, we are ready to give it to them,” he said.
The dispute therefore remains centred on how the affected students can continue their legal education without losing years of study, while Atiba University pursues its appeal against the CLE’s decision and considers transfer arrangements with other institutions.
