The Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa (FPN) has expelled at least nine students over a TikTok video and accompanying comments that school authorities claim are connected to examination malpractice.
The video, originally posted in July 2024, has sparked intense controversy, with affected students insisting they are innocent and were unfairly punished.
Among the expelled students is Agbo Onoja, a final-year student of Chemical Engineering, who shared the video on his TikTok account. The clip showed some students discovering and removing cheat notes hidden in desks and chairs at the School of Business lecture hall. The video was captioned “FPN Legends” and quickly gained traction online, prompting reactions from fellow students.
“The post got a lot of attention and I became uncomfortable, so I deleted it,” Onoja told FIJ. “I never anticipated the school would react so strongly.”
From Shelter to Sanctions
Onoja explained that the incident occurred when he and other students took shelter from the rain in the School of Business building. He had been studying in an open-air reading area known as Solar Village, which is popular among students for its solar-powered lighting.
“While waiting for the rain to stop, some students began pulling papers out of desks obviously leftover cheat materials from previous exams. We were all surprised and amused. Someone was recording, and later sent me the video via AirDrop,” he recounted.
Onoja said he shared the video without any malicious intent. However, the post attracted disciplinary attention, and he was later summoned by the Head of Department (HOD), Salihu Maiwalima, and eventually invited to face the Examination Misconduct Committee.
More Than 30 Students Investigated
Onoja wasn’t alone. Dozens of students who either commented on or reacted to the post were also summoned. One of them, Ameh Dorathy, was accused solely for her comment: “Why una dey open my yansh.”
“I was stunned when I received the text,” Dorathy said. “I never cheated during exams. I was just reacting to a funny post on TikTok.”
When she met with the committee, Dorathy was shown the video and asked to explain her comment. She said she thought it was just a joke and never expected it to be treated as evidence of wrongdoing.
“They demanded the phone numbers of three other students who also commented, suggesting that would prevent my expulsion. I reluctantly provided the details,” she said.
Allegations of Intimidation and Lack of Due Process
Onoja alleged that during his disciplinary hearing, the panel accused him of being sponsored to embarrass the institution. He was pressured to hand over his phone, from which the panel deleted the video despite it already being removed from TikTok.
“They insisted I provide the contact details of every person who commented on the video, even though I didn’t know most of them personally,” he added.
Dorathy, on the other hand, believed the matter was settled after she failed to appear at a follow-up meeting due to a tricycle accident and was told to take care of herself. But her result remained pending for months. She only learned of her expulsion after a friend found an internal memo listing her among the expelled students.
Conflicting Grounds for Expulsion
What shocked many was the official memo released on February 7, 2025, which stated that the students were expelled for engaging in examination malpractice during the second semester of the 2023/2024 academic session a claim that contradicts the timeline of the TikTok video, which was posted before the exams began.
“The expelled students are therefore required to hand over all Polytechnic Property in their possession including identity cards to their respective Heads of Departments with immediate effect,” the memo read.
This discrepancy has raised questions about the fairness and transparency of the school’s disciplinary process.
Students Cry for Justice
Both Onoja and Dorathy say they are now battling psychological and emotional distress as a result of their expulsion. They insist they never engaged in any form of cheating and are appealing to the school to review its decision.
“I struggled to stay in school,” Onoja said. “There were times I couldn’t afford to eat or pay rent. After all that, being expelled for a video I didn’t even record or intend as proof of cheating it’s heartbreaking.”
Dorathy added that she hasn’t informed her mother yet, as she doesn’t know how to break the news. She has consulted a lawyer, but fears the cost of litigation may be beyond her reach.
“I don’t have the financial strength to take this matter to court. I need help from any organization or individual that can help us seek justice,” she said.
Authorities Deny Knowledge
When contacted, Mallam Aminu Bature, the committee secretary who had earlier sent out invitation messages to the students, denied knowledge of the expulsions.
“I am just hearing it from you,” he said. “Go to the school if you want to confirm anything. I cannot confirm anything now.”
Call for Independent Review
Student rights advocates are calling on the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), and civil society groups to investigate the actions taken by Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa. They argue that expelling students over social media commentary, without clear proof of malpractice during exams, sets a dangerous precedent for freedom of expression and student rights on Nigerian campuses.
If these allegations are true, the incident not only reflects excessive disciplinary action, but may also expose a wider institutional intolerance for criticism or digital expression among students.
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