Six 100-level students of Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU) in Ayingba, Kogi State, have been expelled after they were caught rewriting an examination at a lecturer’s residence, an incident that has also led to the arrest of the academic staff involved.
The students, all from the Department of Plant and Biotechnology, paid ₦10,000 each to Dr. Maji Okpanachi to privately retake the BOT102 (Introduction to Plant Science) examination at his home on July 1. Brandspur Lifestyle News understands that all six students subsequently confessed to the arrangement in signed statements, leading to a full-scale investigation by the university’s senate.
The senate described the incident as gross examination misconduct and ordered the immediate expulsion of the six freshers following the conclusion of investigations. The expelled students are Itodo Ojonugwa Jeremiah (26PL1071), Olloh Kizito Ojoajogwu (26PL1033), Okpanachi Favour (26PL1065), Abdulkadiri Senusi (26PL1031), Umar Imran (26PL1038), and Lawrence Salami (26PL1124).
Dr. Okpanachi has been arrested and will face disciplinary action before the Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee in accordance with the university’s established rules. The development has sent shockwaves through the academic community in Ayingba, with the university’s decisive action against both students and staff seen as a strong statement against examination malpractice.
For the six expelled students, the consequences are severe—their academic careers at PAAU have come to an abrupt end, with the stain of examination misconduct likely to follow them should they seek admission to other institutions. The incident also raises questions about the pressures facing freshers in Nigeria’s university system, where some students resort to desperate measures to avoid failing courses.
The university’s swift response, which included the arrest of the lecturer involved, underscores the institution’s commitment to maintaining academic integrity and sending a clear message that examination malpractice will not be tolerated, regardless of who is involved. The case now moves to the disciplinary committee for Dr. Okpanachi, where he faces potential dismissal or other severe sanctions if found guilty
