Aliko Dangote University Female Students Allege Extortion
By Kolawole Emmanuel |KANO
Female students of Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology (formerly Kano State University of Science and Technology), Wudil, Kano State have alleged that the management of the institution extorted the sum of ₦3,000 per student from them.
The female students, who are living in Block E of the Female Hostel, also alleged that they were locked out of the their hostel by the Dean, Students’ Affairs of the university overnight, despite the harsh weather conditions and possible threat of insecurity.
The affected females equally complained that they were given a private account to pay the N3,000 per student into as a penalty before the hostel could be opened to them again.
“We don’t know who we are paying the money to but I doubt if it is actually the account of the school,” a student who does not want her name mentioned stated.
Some students who spoke on condition anonymity on the matter however disclosed that the affected students violated some rules when they poured water in a restricted place in the hostel for which they were all forced out of the hostel.
They also stated that Block E of the hostel was locked on the instruction of the Dean, Students’ Affairs while they were asked to pay the penalty dues.
One of the female students said “There is an instruction that water should not be poured in the walkway which students of the particular block of the hostel violated and all those in the block were forced to sleep out.
“They have been doing this and when the students violated the regulation, they were forced to pay N3,000 as punitive measure.”
However, commenting on the matter the Dean, Students’ Affairs, Professor Abdulqadir Muhammad Dambazau, dismissed the allegations.
He said the hostels were renovated and decongested and new rules were put in place for those occupying the rooms.
According to him, “the female students were fond of defecating in the open space within the hostel, while others shower in the open.
“These behaviours, not only have risk to health and hygiene but also the moral standards of occupying a space in the school hostel.”
Professor Dambazau confirmed the ₦3,000 penalty fee, which affected only 10 out of the 60 female students in Block E of the hostel, declaring that it was a fine for violating the rules guiding occupying a bed space in the hostel of the institution.
“Whosoever violates such rules would be warned twice, and if he persists will be forced to pay ₦3,000 as penalty. But they were however directed to pay ₦3,000 not to a private account but to the account into which they paid their hostel fees.
“Contrary to the allegation that the money is paid to private account, the money is paid to the account of the Students’ Affairs.
“Some of these rules included barring the students from cooking inside the congested rooms with gas cookers to avoid accidents.
“We have also changed the former system of reserving rooms for those who have connections. Now everyone is entitled and can register and make payments online and be allocated,” he added.
The Dean, Students’ Affairs explained further that the institution is taking shape with the renovations and construction of facilities that have changed the former ways to better standards.
The total number of students in the institution at about 24,000 while the available facilities in the hostels can only accommodate 5,400 with the available facility.
This translate to mean that only about one quarter of the student population in Aliko Dangote University have access to hostel accommodation, while the remaining are living off campus.
