A 100 level student of Taraba Sate university has been expelled for repeatedly criticising the Darius Dickson Ishaku, the state governor on Facebook.
Joseph Israel, a student in the department of Laboratory Science in the state-owned university, had his admission withdrawn on the excuse of not signing a matriculation oath form, Premium Times reports.
A letter dated September 20, 2019, signed by the Deputy Register Academic, Yakubu Fwa, addressed to Mr Israel accused the student of failure to attend students’ matriculation ceremony and refusal to fill the matriculation form.
“Further take notice that the withdrawal of the said admission is hinged on your inability to complete the registration processes of Taraba State University, Jalingo, as approved by the relevant university regulation and which makes you a ghost student”, the letter partly reads.
But a local activist said that reason given by the institution was a smokescreen to ‘deal’ with the student who is a well-known online critic of the governor.
A run through Mr Israel’s Facebook page shows his strident criticism of Mr Ishaku’s leadership.
On April 26, the student posted: “FACR: If Gov Darius sells seven cars in his convoy alone, he will solve the problems of Taraba State University”.
“Governor Darius is a tested and trusted failure, the 100 days of any government shows the direction of that government, the Darius administration has no direction, his government is the worst in the 28 years of existence of Taraba Sate. I call on all those whose hopes are high to keep their hopes down till 2023 maybe we’ll have a proactive and a serious governor”, he wrote on September 10.
The withdrawal letter from Mr Fwa did not quote the exact provisions which make absconding from matriculation ceremony an offence punishable with dismissal.
