A federal university in northern Nigeria has rusticated 20 students after a disciplinary committee found them guilty of various forms of examination misconduct, in a move the institution says is meant to deter others from cutting corners.
The Senate of the Federal University Dutsin-Ma (FUDMA) in Katsina State approved the rustications during its 138th Regular Senate Meeting held on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at the Twin Theatre on the institution’s main campus. The punishment takes effect from the second semester of the 2025/2026 academic session.
The affected students were drawn from several faculties, including Computing, Engineering, Social Sciences, Earth and Environment, Education and Life Sciences. All were given the opportunity to appear before the Students Disciplinary Committee and defend themselves before the Senate received and ratified the committee’s findings.
Vice Chancellor and Chairman of the Senate, Professor Mohammed Khalid Othman, said the decision was taken in line with Section 13.3, subsection 13.3(c) of FUDMA’s policy on examination irregularity and academic misconduct. He commended committee members for upholding due process and delivering a verdict that was firm, fair and just.
Prof. Othman said the action was intended to send a clear warning to the wider student body. The Senate’s decision was subsequently announced to the public by the university’s Director of Information and Protocol, Nasiru Abdul, in a statement issued on Thursday, March 13.
FUDMA was established in 2011 and is one of several federal universities created to expand access to higher education in Nigeria. The institution’s firm response to examination misconduct reflects a growing push across Nigerian tertiary institutions to protect academic integrity.
