The University of Abuja (UniAbuja) has described the reports on social media that it was extorting graduating students preparing for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) as untrue and baseless.

There have been reports circulating on social media of illegal payment of clearance fees by some graduating students of UniAbuja before enrolling in the NYSC programme.

Reacting via a statement on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, the university spokesperson, Dr Habib Yakoob, said the allegations were an attempt to skip clearance fees and short-change the institution.

Yakoob noted that the verification department in charge of clearance has all the facts at its disposal, adding that more than 80 per cent of the students had paid, while 15 per cent were yet to pay.

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He said: “There is nothing illegal about the fees and the University is very clear on this. The students whose names are not on the accepted Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE) JAMB list must pay such a fee.

“While some of those students paid, many others do not, often time, in an attempt to short-change the university.

“Though they always thought they had scaled through, at the critical time they need clearance to leave the university, they are made to pay that sum because the verification unit which is in charge of this clearance has all the facts at its disposal.

“And most students are aware of this and are complying. At the moment, more than 80 per cent of the students have paid, leaving just 15 per cent who are expected to pay.”

The Star