Photo File of Baze University.
The Council of Legal Education, in a statement released on Friday, announced a five-year moratorium on law admissions at Baze University Abuja. This decision was prompted by the university’s consistent violation of approved quotas. The statement revealed that Baze University, founded by Yusuf Datti-Ahmed, the Labour Party’s presidential running mate, has accumulated a backlog of 347 law graduates awaiting admission.
Investigations disclosed that since 2017, the university has admitted over 750 law students, exceeding the approved allotment of 50 students per session. The council emphasized that this excessive intake was projected to take 15 years to fill based on the stipulated quota. Furthermore, the statement highlighted Baze University’s non-compliance with the accredited 5-year national benchmark curriculum. It was reported that the university improperly offered a 3-year law degree to certain candidates.
As a result, the Council of Legal Education (CLE) has, as a first measure, imposed a five-year ban on Baze University for law admissions, aiming to address the backlog and compliance concerns during this period. The council specified that subsequent assessments during follow-up visits would determine if corrective measures have been implemented before contemplating the lifting of the sanction. Consequently, admission bodies such as JAMB have been advised to temporarily redirect prospective students away from the university.
Despite criticism regarding the blanket moratorium, officials emphasize the importance of maintaining regulatory oversight. They assure that the fate of the affected students will be addressed, recognizing the presence of innocent or unsuspecting students and parents in this situation.
Ms. Aderonke Osho, the Acting Secretary and Director of Administration at the Nigerian Law School, disclosed this information. She stated, “During its Quarterly Meeting on November 23, 2023, the Council of Legal Education (CLE), chaired by Chief Emeka Ngige, SAN, OFR, reviewed the report of the Accreditation panel concerning the Faculty of Law at Baze University, Abuja.
“The findings, as presented by the Panel led by Prof Isa Hayatu Chiroma, SAN, the Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, revealed that Baze University consistently and significantly violated its approved admission quota of 50 students per session, as sanctioned by the Council of Legal Education. Consequently, the Faculty now faces a substantial backlog of over 347 law students awaiting admission to the Nigerian Law School.”
“Since 2017 the Council of Legal Education had grappled with the excesses of Baze University by admitting over 750 law students which ordinarily would have taken about 15 years of admission based on the quota allotted to the University.
“Baze University runs a three (3)-year LL. B programme for some UTME candidates without the approval of National Universities Commission (NUC), Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB and Council of Legal Education.”
The statement also highlighted that “According to the NUC Minimum Benchmark Academic Standard (BMAS) for the law degree program in Nigerian Universities, the duration for Law is five (5) years for UTME candidates and four (4) years for Direct Entry students.”
“The Council of Legal Education after thorough consideration of these infractions resolved as follows: The imposition of a moratorium on admission of law students to the Faculty of Law, Baze University, Abuja, with immediate effect;
“The moratorium will last in the first instance for a period of 5 years and may be renewed if no satisfactory action is taken to remedy the situation.
“The Council in the interest of the innocent students, parents and guardians will use the 5 year period to find ways to deal with the backlog of law students admitted by Baze University in excess of its admission quota.
“Follow-up visits will be paid to the university to ascertain the extent of the measures it has taken to remedy the anomalies observed during the accreditation visit.
“The National Universities Commission (NUC), Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Parents, guardians, prospective applicants, and members of the public are hereby put on notice on the status of Baze University Abuja and its faculty of law.”