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Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi (JoSTUM), has directed all students to leave the campus immediately following a protest over alleged delays and inconsistencies in the disbursement of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
In a memo dated 23 March 2026 and signed by the Registrar, John David, the university declared an immediate Easter break from 23 March to 7 April, instructing students to vacate their hostels by 6 p.m. on Monday.
The decision came after students blocked the university’s main entrance earlier in the day, demanding transparency regarding NELFUND payments. Protesters held placards reading “No NELFUND, No Exams” and “Refund Our Money,” while chanting in unison.
Many students claimed they had either not received any funds or were paid less than the approved amounts, despite assurances that the money had been sent to the school. “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?” one student asked.
Others accused the management of repeatedly shutting down academic activities whenever issues are raised instead of resolving them. “Each time we protest, they send us on break instead of solving the problem. When we come back, everything is forgotten,” another student lamented.
In response, the university management rejected claims of widespread non-payment. The Registrar explained that the majority of qualified students had already received their funds, noting that only 76 students were yet to benefit due to incomplete registration. He clarified that the scheme operates on a reimbursement basis, depending on the amount already paid by students.
Mr David also raised concerns about the identity of some protesters, suggesting that not all might be genuine students, and warned that continued disruption could interfere with academic activities, especially with examinations approaching.
The student union leadership had earlier called for calm, assuring protesters that efforts were ongoing to address their concerns. However, the university proceeded with the directive to vacate the campus.
The situation at JoSTUM has heightened fears among students about further disruptions to the academic calendar, with many already preparing for examinations. As of the time of this report, the university had not indicated whether it would engage student representatives during the break to resolve the lingering issues.
The protest highlights ongoing challenges in the implementation of the NELFUND scheme across some institutions, where concerns over transparency and timely disbursement continue to surface despite the programme having received over 1.69 million applications and disbursed approximately ₦183.8 billion nationwide.
