7 Years After: Appeal Court Orders ATBU to Reinstate Expelled Student
BY ADEYEMI AKANJI, BAUCHI – Reprieve has finally come the way of Victor Alom Oboh, a 300 level student of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi whose long wait for justice did not end in vain as the Jos Division of the Court of Appeal ordered the University to reinstate him to complete his studies
The Court also order the University to pay Oboh N1.1million as damages for illegally expelling him over accusation of examination malpractice which was not proved.
The plaintiff, Victor Alom Oboh had in the 2013 filed a suit against the University at the Federal High Court, Bauchi challenging his expulsion by the management over alleged involvement in examination malpractice, an allegation he denied.
In his ruling, the trial Judge, Justice Shittu Abubakar on May 17, 2018 ruled and voided the expulsion of the Oboh and ordered the University to pay the plaintiff N1,000,000 as general damages.”
Justice Abubakar also ordered the University to re-instated Oboh to continue his study with immediate effect.
But the management of ATBU on June 1, 2018 appealed the ruling of the Federal High Court at the Appeal Court, Jos Division.
However, the Appeal Court in a judgement made by a three-man panel of Justices led by Justice Tani Yusuf Hassan, upheld the ruling of the Federal High Court, Bauchi.
In the ruling, Justice Hassan declared; “The appeal failed and it is hereby dismissed. The judgement passed by Justice Shittu Abubakar is hereby affirmed.”
The Appeal Court ordered ATBU to pay Victor Oboh the sum of N100,000. In total, the university will pay the student N1,100,000 and reinstate him to further his master programme”.
Reacting to the judgement, the plaintiff, Victor Oboh said that he fought the battle to clear his name from the accusation.
Acording to him; “Just within 3 minutes after commencement of an examination, an invigilator accused me of malpractice and asked me to fill form in that regard which I declined. I was expelled.”
Oboh said that with the judgement of the Appeal Court, he has been vindicated saying that he will return to the school to further his education to the level of Masters in Engineering.
He expressed confidence in the judicial system of the country saying that no matter how long it takes, the truth must always prevail at the end.
