Authorities of the University of Ilorin, Kwara state have approved expulsion and rustication for 19 students, including six Final Year students of the institution, said to have been involved in various offences.

According to a press statement by the Director Corporate Affairs of the University, Kunle Akogun,made available to journalists in ilorin on Monday the approval of expulsion/rustication of the affected students by the Vice Chancellor,Prof Wahab Egbewole (SAN) was sequel to the recommendations of the Students' Disciplinary Committee at its 220th/221st meeting.

Professor Egbewole also commended various unions in the university over their stance in the recent warning strike declared by NASU, stressing that he was impressed.

The statement also said that the affected students were penalized for offences ranging from misconduct, theft, examination malpractice, hostel bed-space racketeering and extortion, beating a fellow student, admission racketeering, extortion and assault.

It further said that penalties for the offences committed by the students included rustication for either one semester or one academic session, including expulsion. The affected students were in various academic levels such as 100, 200, 300 and 400 Levels.

They are Adebayo Adeleke,Fac./Dept.: Arts/ Performing Arts, Hassan Hanan Adebola ,Fac./Dept.: Arts/History and International Studies, Amatokwu Evans :Fac./Dept.: Education/Art Education, Ayodele Samuel Koseunti of Fac./Dept.: Arts/History and International Studies ,Toki Opeyemi Ayomide:Fac./Dept.: Arts/History and International Studies and Makinde Usman Ayomide:Fac./Dept.: Arts/Linguistic and Nigeria Languages.

Also included are Nwachukwu Chinedu Joshua:Fac./Dept.: Life Sciences/Biochemistry, Onibiyo Eniola Gideon: Fac./Dept.: Arts/History and International Studies, Oshinboluro Temitope Joshua:Fac./Dept.: Physical Sciences/Mathematics and Sulaimon Mayowa Fac./Dept.: Life Sciences/Biochemistry.

Other affected students are Badmus Rasheedat Ajoke Fac./Dept.: Physical Sciences/Chemistry, Afolayan Damilola Fac./Dept: Mathematics/ Physical Sciences, Ajibola Oluwaseyi Temiloluwa Fac. /Dept:Water Resources & Environmental Engineering /Engineering & Technology, Akorede Isiaka Nifemi Fac./Dept: Mathematics/ Physical Sciences,Bolanta Taiye Zainab Fac. /Dept:Industrial Relations and Personnel Management/Engineering & Technology,. Elegede Favour Emmauel Fac. /Dept:Physiology /Basic Medical Science Ojelabi Ibukunoluwa Micheal Fac. /Dept:Anatomy /Basic Medical Science Okeke Ruth Chinecherem Fac./Dept: Performing Arts/ Arts and Okanle Oluwatimileyin Samuel of Fac. /Dept: Physiotherapy/Basic Clinical Science.

Meanwhile in a related development,the Vice Chancellor,Prof Wahab Egbewole SAN has said that the recent 7-day nationwide warning strike declared by NASU/SSANU in public universities in the country, did not not disrupt the ongoing semester examination process of the University of Ilorin.

Vice Chancellor of the institution institution, Prof. Wahab Egbewole disclosed this much at the Ramadan Iftar with working journalists in the state.

Commending the unions and the general staff of the institution, Prof. Egbewole said “I have said it over and over that our unions are responsible unionists and our primary concern is our students and that is why it was possible for us to have our examination process without hiccups.

“They obeyed and I want to say with all sense of responsibility that the unions obeyed their leaders at the national level and went on with the strike.

” But because of our understanding, the unions that were not on strike assisted in creating a seamless examination process,” he explained.

The Vice-Chancellor reiterated the commitment to create enabling environment for the university to achieve its 'Smart Agenda'.

He said “We need to create enabling environment for our students to learn, for our staffs to ply their trade and for the university to achieve its smart agenda.

Vanguard Correspondent recalls that the Vice Chancellor, during his inauguration and assumption of office in Ilorin said “I believe strongly in the human capital interest of this great university. Together, we can take the university to the topmost league in Africa if we are SMART.”

“The SMART university mantra entails that my administration, with your support, will be purposefully geared towards achieving sustainable development, monumental achievements, adaptive capacity, rapid response to change and team building.”

” We are also hopeful that we will ensure that the thrive we are presently having is not in any way deminished and that is why I can confidently tell you that the current semester examination is currently going to an end without any form of disruption in our academic calendar and we intend to continue to maintain that our position by God's Grace,” he added.

Highlighting the achievements recorded in the university, he said “a number of infrastructural additions had come to our University. We completed the Chemical Engineering, we have also added value by creating the car park that is befitting of the structure. We have also renovated a number of facilities as we speak, and completed a number of new hostels.”

“We believe that the welfare of our students will be better taken care of. We have been able to add to our workforce by recruiting the approved number of 201 academic staff and non teaching staff into our University.

On the global plain, Prof. Egbewole said for the university to be a global player, “we need to do things differently and that is why I believe that we are positioning ourselves as a University to the point that we should be self sustaining because that is the essence of an academic, you need to think outside the box, without the box, that is the only way we will end up becoming global players.”