How UNICAL Sends Hundreds of Students Home Over Illegal Over-Admission

Confusion and outrage have erupted at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) following a drastic decision by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Florence Banku Obi, to send home hundreds of students in the Faculty of Dentistry and Dental Surgery over what has been described as massive over-admission beyond the quota approved by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.

The decision, which was communicated during a tense meeting on Thursday, July 10, with the affected students and their parents, has sparked widespread anger and accusations of mismanagement. According to SaharaReporters, students from 200 to 600 levels were asked to vacate campus with immediate effect until the university resolves the admission crisis.

A memo dated July 7, 2025, from the Office of the Provost, College of Medical Sciences, invited all Dental students and their parents to the meeting without stating the agenda. The notice, signed by Mrs. Anita B. Eyo, Deputy Registrar/College Secretary, and copied to principal officers of the College, only mentioned that the meeting would be held at 2:00 PM on Thursday with the Vice Chancellor.

Students say the shock came after the Vice Chancellor revealed that the Faculty had exceeded its yearly quota for Dentistry admissions — reportedly admitting over 300 students in a class when only 10 were approved to graduate annually. Now, all students across multiple academic levels have been asked to go home indefinitely.

One of the affected students lamented bitterly: “There’s a huge injustice going on in the University of Calabar Faculty of Dentistry and Dental Surgery. The school, out of greed, admitted more students than allowed by the Medical Council, and now they are asking us to go home after collecting millions from us in tuition fees, accommodation, textbooks, and feeding.”

The Vice Chancellor’s decision has also reportedly come with a stern warning: no protests or public demonstrations will be tolerated. This clampdown has left many students feeling helpless and silenced.

Another female student said, “Imagine admitting over 300 students into a programme where the approved quota is just 10 graduates per year. That’s reckless and exploitative. We’ve spent years studying and spending money, only to be sent home without a clear plan for our future.”

The crisis has drawn widespread condemnation and triggered calls for the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC), the Medical and Dental Council, and the Federal Ministry of Education to intervene urgently. For now, the affected students remain in limbo, with no official resolution announced.

Tensions continue to rise on campus as students and their families demand accountability, transparency, and a reversal of what they describe as a betrayal of trust and academic ambition.