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A fourth year student of the Abia State University, Uturu, Hackney Chidera, has been arrested while sitting for an examination for a member of the Abia State House of Assembly, Chief Ginger Onwusibe.
Onwusibe who represents Isiala Ngwa North State Constituency, is a direct entry Law student of the University on his second year.
Chidera was caught on October 11 2019, by the invigilators during examinations as he submitted his script bearing the lawmaker’s name and matriculation number.
A source told Pointblanknews.com that the invigilators became suspicious when they saw Onwusibe’s name and matriculation number on the attendance list for the examination, even when he wasn’t present at the hall. Chidera was handed over to the school security men.
On interrogation by the security men, Chidera disclosed that he has been writing exams for the lawmaker since he was admitted into the Faculty of Law in the university.
The source said; “The invigilators decided to cross check every exam script being submitted and found out that the script one Hackney Chidera submitted had Ginger Onwusibe’s name and matriculation number on it. This was how Chidera was arrested and hand him over to the security men on duty. Ginger Onwusibe is a direct entry law student, but he never attends classes and does not also sit for the semester examinations. He engages mercenaries like Chidera to sit for examinations for him. Another aide of the Governor, Mr. Chinenye Nwogu is also a direct entry 200 level student of the Faculty of law.
“He does not attend classes and when he attempted to walk into the examination hall to sit for the Legal method examination, he was walked out by the Lecturer who insisted that any student who does not attend his classes will not sit for his examinations.”
Pointblanknews.com gathered that the matter is now before the Dean, Faculty of Law, Prof. Sam Erugo. ABSU sources accused the Dean of dilly dallying on the matter as his action suggests he may have taken sides with the embattled lawmaker.
Few days after the arrest of his mercenary, Chidera; the lawmaker was sighted at the University on Monday 14th October, trying to sit for the next examination, but was stopped from entering the examination hall. However, he was later allowed to sit.
A staff of the Admission office in the University who spoke in camera disclosed that admission into the Faculty of Law in the Abia State University appear to have been reserved for political aides of the government, Commissioners and House of Assembly as direct entry students.
According to him, such classes of people usually don’t have time to attend lectures and in some cases do not sit for examinations but depend on mercenaries.
“Politicians have taken over the Law degree. They don’t attend classes, but mercenaries to sit examinations for them. The university authorities are even aware of the situation. This puts to question, the quality of the degrees awarded by the faculty. The Faculty of Law used to be located at the main campus of the University at Uturu, but was recently relocated to Umuahia. From what is happening today , there is no doubt that these politicians were behind the relocation to have the Faculty close to them at Umuahia.”
Some staff of the Faculty of Law are said to be threatening to petition the Legal Practitioners Privileges and Disciplinary Committees and the Nigerian Law School against the Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Sam Erugo and Vice Chancellor, Prof. Uche Ikonne, if they fail to investigate the matter.
