By Desire Emmanuel
The Kano State High Court has restrained the Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria (MAAUN) from compelling its graduating students to pay a N750,000 convocation fee as a precondition for the issuance of statements of results, certificates and mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
Justice Sanusi Ado Ma’aji granted the order following an ex-parte application filed by counsel to the affected parents, Sagir Sulaiman Gezawa.
The court further ordered the university to immediately issue statements of results to the students and mobilise them for the NYSC without further delay.
The case was adjourned till January 13, 2026, for the hearing of the motion on notice.
In his application, a copy of which is in possession of Impact Nigeria News Online, Gezawa asked the court to determine whether, based on the admission letters issued to the students at the commencement of their studies, they had already fulfilled all obligations required for their graduation.
He argued that the students, having paid their tuition fees, attended classes, completed all required courses, and passed their examinations, should not be subjected to additional conditions before graduating.
He also contended that it is part of the university’s responsibility to process students’ results and facilitate their mobilisation for the NYSC.
The dispute stems from MAAUN’s decision to impose a N750,000 fee for what it described as a ‘convocation and graduation ceremony.’
Parents of the graduating students initially protested that the fee was exorbitant, but tensions escalated when the university issued a circular making payment of the fee a prerequisite for the release of statements of results and NYSC mobilisation.
According to sources, efforts by parents to resolve the issue amicably were unsuccessful.
The situation worsened after another internal circular directed students to pay the fee on or before November 30, warning that failure to do so would result in delays in graduation, NYSC mobilisation and issuance of statements of results.
The parents subsequently sought the intervention of the Emir of Kano, who delegated the Matawallen Kano to mediate, but the intervention did not yield any results.
The matter was later reported to the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC), which ordered the parties to maintain the status quo pending the conclusion of its investigation.
Despite the PCACC’s directive, MAAUN reportedly issued another circular announcing December 20 as the date for the convocation, reiterating the requirement for payment of the N750,000 fee.
