Baze University Abuja’s law admissions have been placed on hold for five years by the Council of Legal Education (CLE), alleging repeated infractions of authorised quotas.
According to a statement from the Nigerian Law School, the university—which was established by Yusuf Datti-Ahmed, the running mate of the Labour Party for president—is being criticised for having over 347 backlogged law graduates who are seeking admission.
The council’s investigation found that since 2017, Baze University admitted over 750 law students, surpassing its allotted 50 students per session, a violation that should have spanned 15 years based on the approved quota. Additionally, the university was found to be running a three-year law degree for some candidates, deviating from the accredited five-year national benchmark curriculum. As a consequence, CLE has enacted a five-year ban on the university’s law admissions, aiming to address the backlog and ensure compliance. The council emphasized that follow-up visits would be conducted to verify the implementation of remedies before considering lifting the sanction. Notably, admission bodies like JAMB were notified to steer prospective students away from the university temporarily.
Despite the moratorium’s imposition, criticism has arisen due to the potential impact on innocent or unsuspecting students and parents. Officials defend the decision, asserting the necessity of upholding regulatory oversight and promising to address the fate of affected students.
Ms. Aderonke Osho, the Acting Secretary and Director of Administration of the Nigerian Law School, highlighted the Council’s decision, stating, “Baze University consistently and most flagrantly had contravened its admission quota of 50 students per session as approved by the Council of Legal Education with the result that the Faculty is currently having a backlog of over 347 law students waiting to be admitted into the Nigerian Law School.”
The statement further revealed the university’s unauthorized three-year LL.B program for some UTME candidates, lacking approval from the National Universities Commission (NUC), Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), and the Council of Legal Education.
