Media Group berates harrassment, abduction of Journalists over ABUAD Report
The National Association of Online Security Reporters (NAOSRE) has warned security agencies against a plot to harass and abduct Idumonza Isidahomhen, the Editor-in-Chief OpenLife, a pan African news magazine, over a report published by his platform.
The association raised the alarm over the alleged plot to arrest the publisher, who doubles as the Public Relations Officer of NAOSRE in a statement on Friday.
The plot to arrest the publisher had come after OpenLife ran a story on alleged fraudulent and exploitative activities carried out at the Afe Babalola University of Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) in the admission and administration of the institution.
In the statement by its National President, Femi Oyewale, the group urged the security personnel to respect journalists as essential service providers and a major partner in the efforts to close the gap between security agencies and the general public in the country.
The association called on the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba to caution his officers and men against abducting his member.
According to a source, men of the Ekiti State Command of the Nigeria Police Force arrived in Lagos on Friday afternoon with an intention to pick up the publisher in what they addressed as an order from above.
Sources reported that the officers arrived at Lagos command to register their presence in the state.
According to the story on the OpenLife website, parents of students of the University have described the institution as fraudulent and exploitative, for the school to have admitted about 400 students and make them pay so much higher than others when it could only graduate 100 students at the end of six years.
According to a concerned parent who spoke to OpenLife, “ABUAD admitted 400 students for the 1st year, with tuition of N4,000,000, knowing, only 100 could graduate. Now, more than 75% of the students passed the exams and the only option they have is to use tuition fees to drop some students.
“These children have been under stress and tension since day one. Even the first-semester result is not out at this time. How can we be sure the process is purely based on merit? After collecting so much money already you now increase school fees to drive and weed away students.
“Your institution has not done well in this regard. I don’t see integrity and uprightness in these actions” the parent lamented.
ABUAD has a quota from MDCAN of graduating 100 Medical students per annum but they admitted 400 students. This means 300 students which are 75% will not graduate after six years.
According to Professor Ogundipe, the Provost of the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, the new fees are as follows: Fresh students (100 level) pre-medicine, N4,557,500, 200 level First Year Medicine, N5,586,000, 300 level Second Year medicine, N5,586,000; clinical students from 400 Level, N4,281,000.
The parent noted with displeasure that the school was too hasty with this announcement for the following reasons; parents were still awaiting the first session of their wards academic performances, and the reasons for increments were not defined nor discussed with other stakeholders.
They claimed no prior notice of increment was given to parents for adjustment or better still, the school did not make alternative arrangement for their wards.
“Your hostels are in a deplorable state, your lecture halls are overcrowded with dilapidated facilities, our children can barely afford food anymore because of the exorbitant prices of your canteens, I cannot visit my children and sit with them.
“Even the lowest of boarding schools allow me to see my children but in a university, I cannot see my children to discuss what is going on with them, they are treated like prisoners.
“Poor food, for sanitation, restricted visitation and many more; I recommend the school to urgently release the first and second-semester results of our wards, to chart a course for further discussion,” the parent had lamented.
