Varsity Expels Final-year Student Over False Viral Social Media Claims

The management of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni, Rivers State, has expelled a final-year student of the Department of English and Literary Studies, Nora Onyewuenyi Chiamaka, over a social media post described by the institution as damaging to its image.

The university announced the decision in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Monday by its Public Relations Officer, Dr Ngozi Okiridu.

According to the statement, the student allegedly made claims in a viral interview that her project topic was “Citizenship” and that her project supervisor wrote the work for her.

The institution, however, said there was no project topic titled “Citizenship” in the Department of English and Literary Studies. The university further stated that the student reportedly admitted that her claims were untrue and were made solely to create social media content.

According to the management, efforts were made to persuade her to withdraw the comments, but she allegedly refused to do so.

The university explained that the Senate decided to expel the student to serve as a deterrent to others who might engage in similar conduct. The statement noted that the institution would not tolerate actions capable of damaging its reputation, stressing that students were expected to act responsibly when making public statements about the university and its academic activities.

The expulsion has drawn attention to the consequences students may face when publishing claims about their institutions on social media, particularly where such claims are alleged to be false or damaging.

The development also highlights the importance of verifying information before sharing it publicly, especially when it concerns academic projects, lecturers and university procedures.

The university maintained that the disciplinary action was intended to discourage similar incidents among students.

The case involves a final-year student, meaning the decision could have significant implications for her academic progress. However, the report did not indicate whether the student planned to challenge the decision or whether any further review of the expulsion would take place.