Protest rocks JoSTUM as students shut main gate over NELFUND disbursement

By James Ike

Tension flared at the Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi (JoSTUM) on Monday as a group of students staged a protest at the institution’s main gate, demanding payment of funds under the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

The protesters, who blocked the entrance to the campus, were seen waving leaves and singing solidarity songs, causing disruption to movement in and out of the university.

A protesting student, who requested anonymity, accused the university management of withholding funds meant for beneficiaries of the loan scheme.

“We applied for the NELFUND loan, but up till now, we have not received anything. We were informed that the money has already been sent to the school. We are here to demand immediate payment. We will remain here until something is done.”

But the university authorities refuted the allegation, maintaining that payments had been made to the majority of qualified students, with only a small number outstanding due to procedural issues.

The Registrar, Dr. John David, said the delay affected only 76 students who had not completed the required registration process.

“Almost all the students have been paid. The remaining 76 have issues with their registration on our portal,” he stated.

“NELFUND is structured as a refund system. You must have paid your fees before you can be refunded.”

He stressed that the amount refunded is strictly tied to what each student initially paid.

“If a student paid N56,000 or N63,000, that is what will be refunded. If someone only generated a receipt of N200, they cannot expect a full refund. It doesn’t work that way,” he explained.

Dr. David also disclosed that attempts by the management team to address the protesters were unsuccessful due to the chaotic atmosphere.

“We went to the gate and stayed for nearly an hour, but they refused to listen. There was no identifiable student leadership to engage,” he said.

The Registrar expressed concern that the protest appeared to involve more individuals than those genuinely affected, raising suspicion of external interference.
“The number of protesters is far more than those with unresolved payments. This suggests that others may have joined in. Some of their actions were not typical of our students,” he added.

He warned that the development could disrupt the academic calendar, particularly as the university prepares for examinations scheduled for early April.

“Lecturers are concluding their lectures and revision is about to begin. This situation is unfortunate because it affects students who are ready for their exams,” he said.

Dr. David noted that the university was monitoring the situation closely and could take decisive action, including a possible shutdown, if the protest escalates.

Security personnel have since been deployed to the scene to maintain order, while university officials continue efforts to engage the protesters.

Meanwhile, a university staff member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, suggested that the timing of the protest may not be coincidental.

“With exams around the corner, most students are focused on their studies. It is possible that a few are trying to create disruption,” the source said.

As of the time of filing this report, discussions were ongoing to resolve the impasse and restore normalcy on campus.