The Council of Legal Education (CLE) has suspended admission of students into the Faculties of Law in nine universities across the country for willfully admitting and graduating students before obtaining its accreditation.
The acting Secretary to the Council/Director of Administration, Ms. A. O. Osho, the council approved different sanctions against the affected universities during its second quarterly meeting for the year 2024, held virtually on June 26, 2024, under the chairmanship of Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN).
The affected universities are:
1. Nigerian Police Academy, Wudil, Kano State
2. Fountain University, Osogbo, Osun State
3. Redeemers University, Ede, Osun State
4. Taraba State University, Jalingo
5. Western Delta University, Oghara, Delta State
6. Kwara State University, Malete
7. Bingham University, Karu, Nasarawa State
In addition, the council imposed a five-year moratorium on Lead City University, Oyo State, due to inadequate infrastructural facilities in its Faculty of Law and its violation of the admission quota of 50 students per academic session. The council pledged to accommodate the over 1,000 students unlawfully admitted by the university within available space.
The council also approved the constitution of an ad-hoc committee to appraise a recent judgment delivered against the Council of Legal Education, Attorney-General of the Federation, and two other parties in Suit No SC/1097/2019, over a property at Igbosere Road Lagos, which was the first building that housed the pioneer students of the Nigerian Law School.
The committee headed by Mr. Kehinde K. Eleja (SAN) will work on complying with the judgment’s terms and securing the monument acquired by the council in 1962.
Furthermore, the council granted provisional accreditation status with an admission quota of 50 to two private universities namely El-Amin University and Newgate University, both in Minna, Niger State.
The council also resolved to revisit the Faculty of Law of Veritas University, Bwari, Abuja, and Kola Daisi University, Ibadan, Oyo State, at a later date to cross-check their compliance with the findings of the Accreditation Team.
The council approved the establishment of a legal unit in the office of the Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, considering the need to monitor cases in court involving the council, and keep the council regularly informed.
Lastly, the council approved an increased admission quota from 100 to 160 for the University of Abuja, given the improved quality and quantum of infrastructural facilities in its faculty of law and the number of academic staff recently recruited, especially at the professorial cadre.