EXCLUSIVE: Usmanu Danfodiyo University Students Accuse Management Of Manipulating School Portals To Embezzle NELFUND Loan Refunds

Tension is mounting at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, as several students have accused the school management of deliberately manipulating their online portals to divert and embezzle their NELFUND loan refunds.

SaharaReporters learnt that although the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) had disbursed the approved funds to the university on behalf of successful applicants, many students were stunned to discover that their refunds had been siphoned through what they described as a fraudulent portal adjustment scheme.

One final-year student told SaharaReporters, “We applied for NELFUND, and the board already paid the money to the school. But after the school received the money, they manipulated our portals.

“For example, in the Faculty of Law, we were supposed to spend five years (100–500 level) and pay school fees for five sessions. Shockingly, the school created another ‘200 level’ for us, making it six levels in total.

That is a deliberate manipulation to swallow our refund. They now claim the refund will go into settling the new ‘debt’ they created.”

He continued, “This is the third week, I wrote to the management about it, but nothing has been done. I’m already in my final year, and if I leave without resolution, they may sweep it under the carpet.”

Another student also expressed frustration, saying, “We applied for the refund after successful approval, but the university inserted an additional ‘UG2’ into our portals. They then cleared our supposed ‘debt’ with the refund, even though we never owed them anything. We reported to MIS (Management Information System) and were asked to write complaints, but for three weeks now, nothing has been done. They must address this with urgency.”

SaharaReporters learned that the refunds range between ₦70,000 and ₦100,000 depending on faculty and programme.

A student from the Faculty of Law confirmed that his refund of ₦94,560 had already been removed from his portal under the controversial adjustment.

When contacted by SaharaReporters, the Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Umar Aliyu, acknowledged receiving the complaints and said he had forwarded the matter to the Director of MIS for further action.

“The Director of MIS demanded that students with such complaints should go to him directly for clarification. He assured me that no student would be denied what is due to them. In case of any difficulty, such students should meet the Dean of Student Affairs,” he said.

“These are mere speculations. Let them do as instructed. I'm currently with Director, MIS.”

Despite the assurance, affected students remain sceptical, insisting that the university’s silence and delay are part of a cover-up scheme to deny them their legitimate entitlements.