328 medical students sue UNIJOS over rejection

Thundred and twenty eight medical students dropped by University of Jos, UNIJOS, have sued the institution for alleged unjust rejection.

The students are contesting the decision of the university to drop their names from the list of 478 students admitted for 2008/2009 academic session.

Authorities of the university had admitted medical students in excess of the quota allowed by the Medical and Dental Council, necessitating the withdrawal of its accreditation.

The authorities conducted an examination in January 2010 to screen the students admitted and only 150 were retained in a bid to keep its accreditation.

When the case came up for hearing at the Federal High Court Jos, yesterday, Mr. Sunday Obende, the counsel to the students, said they were unjustly denied the opportunity to continue with their academic pursuits.

Obende prayed the court to compel the university authorities to allow them to continue with their studies as undergraduates in medicine.

Counsel to the university, Mr. Ninnan Denden, however, objected to the submissions, saying the screening was done in line with the rules guiding the course.

Presiding judge, Justice Ambrose Allagoah, assured the parties in dispute that the court would accelerate the hearing, provided the two counsel eschewed delays.

The judge noted that the semester examinations were approaching and adjourned the case to March 21 for further hearing.