Benue Varsity Graduates 23,060 As Herders Kill 400L Student

Vice chancellor Benue State University (BSU) Makurdi, Prof. Tor Iorapuu has disclosed that 23,060 graduands will be conferred with degrees and diplomas during the combined convocation of 18th 19th 20th and 21st.

This is even as the he also informed that the recent attack by armed herdsmen at Nagi in Gwer-West local government area has claimed the life of a 400 level student in the department of Chemistry.

Iorapuu, who disclosed this during the pre- convocation briefing and 30th anniversary of BSU, lamented that Insecurity in the state especially the persistent herder attack on communities has makes BSU vulnerable as many potential scholars and collaborators weary, with a promised to ensure that a perimeter fence is built around the School to ensure safety and as well stop encroachment.

Prof. Iorapuu, who gave a breakdown of the categories of graduands to include Bachelor’s degrees 20,815, Postgraduate Diplomas 494, Master’s degrees 1605, PhD degrees 146, also informed that out of 20815 graduands with Bachelors’ degrees, 63 of them have earned First Class.

He said, “We have tagged our combined convocation ‘BSU at 30: Boundless Years of Academic Growth,’ deliberately to remind ourselves as staff, students, and alumni and to bring to the public domain the fact that we have humbly clocked 30 years as a university.

“With a humble beginning in 1992/93 academic session, and a population of 308 students and 149 academic staff, four faculties of Arts, Education, Science and Social Science, we have now grown into 10 faculties (Arts, Education, Science, Social Science, Law, Environmental Science, Management Science, Basic Medical Sciences, Basic Clinical Science and Clinical Sciences; and Post-graduate School); a huge student population of over 23000 students, over 2000 staff (teaching and non-teaching).

The University don informed that management and senate of the institution are thinking through improved strategies that will reduce cases of expulsion or suspension of students due to examination misconduct and this will take effect when the senate has considered and approved the new students handbook.

He said instead of expelling a student because of examination malpractice, the students will have an option to choose either to go or stay within the campus and serve the punishment that will be given to him while continuing with his or her normal classes.