JoSTUM sends students home following protest over NELFUND disbursement

Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi (JoSTUM), has instructed students to leave campus following demonstrations over alleged delays and irregularities in the disbursement of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

An internal memo dated 23 March, signed by the Registrar, John David, announced an immediate Easter recess from 23 March to 7 April. The notice directed all students to vacate their hostels by 6 p.m. on Monday.

The closure came shortly after students staged a protest at the university, blocking the main gate and demanding transparency in the handling of NELFUND payments. Protesters carried placards reading “No NELFUND, No Exams” and “Refund Our Money” while singing solidarity chants.

Several students, who spoke anonymously to PREMIUM TIMES, claimed that funds approved for them were either unpaid or partially disbursed.

“We applied for this loan and got approval, but up till now, nothing has entered our accounts,” one student said. “We were told the money has already been sent to the school, so why are we not getting it?”

Another student described the situation as “confusing and frustrating.” “NELFUND is a loan, not a gift. We are expected to repay it after school, so why is there no transparency in how it is handled? Some people are saying they received less than what was approved,” the student said.

Other students accused the university management of routinely shutting down academic activities whenever complaints arise. “Each time we protest, they send us on break instead of solving the problem. When we come back, everything is forgotten,” one student said. “This is a simple issue. Pay students their money and let peace return.”

The student union leadership responded by urging calm. In a message to students, the NUBESS president called on protesters to avoid property destruction, assuring them that their concerns were being addressed.

University officials, however, rejected claims of widespread non-payment. The registrar stated that most eligible students had already received their funds, noting that only 76 students were yet to benefit due to incomplete registration.

“Registration means you have paid your fees and will then be refunded under NELFUND. If you did not pay, what exactly would be refunded to you?” Mr David said.

He explained that the loan scheme reimburses students based on fees already paid. “If you paid N56,000 or N63,000, that is what you get back. If you only paid N200, you cannot expect a full refund,” he added.

Mr David also questioned the composition of the protesters, suggesting some may not be students, and warned that the disruption could affect ongoing academic activities, especially with exams approaching.

NELFUND, established under the Student Loan Act signed into law in April 2024, provides interest-free loans to students in public tertiary institutions to cover tuition and living costs. Official data shows the scheme has processed over 1.69 million applications and disbursed about N183.8 billion, including direct payments to institutions and student allowances.

Despite these figures, concerns about transparency and timing of disbursements have persisted in several institutions.

At JoSTUM, the latest development has sparked worries about the effect of repeated closures on the academic calendar. “We are already preparing for exams, now we are being asked to go home without resolving anything,” a student said. “When we return, the same issue will still be there.”

At the time of reporting, the university had not indicated whether it planned to meet with student representatives during the break to address the complaints.