Benue varsity vows strict punishment for students involved in signing-out activities

The authorities of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi (JOSTUM), have vowed to impose stiff penalties on any student caught participating in so-called signing-out celebrations.

In a statement released Friday in Makurdi, the Registrar and Secretary to Senate, Dr. John David, said the institution’s stand aligns with the Federal Government’s nationwide prohibition of signing-out activities in tertiary schools.

He recalled that JOSTUM had already outlawed the practice on February 15, 2025 weeks before the federal directive because it conflicts with the university’s ethos and traditions.

According to David, the trend encourages “undignified rituals,” including scribbling messages on clothes, loud revelry, and other unruly behaviour that erodes the honour of graduation ceremonies and damages the school’s image.

“Our priority is to see students graduate with dignity and decorum,” he stressed. “Unfortunately, these signing-out events turn that milestone into noisy, unsafe spectacles. Henceforth, all related activities remain banned on campus.

“Students are strictly warned to comply or risk sanctions such as suspension, rustication, or the withholding of results and certificates. Staff and security personnel have been directed to ensure full enforcement,” the registrar added.