IAUE expels final-year student over viral video on alleged N150,000 research project deal

The university’s announcement focused on the disciplinary action against the student over what it described as damaging content creation.

The case has brought attention to questions surrounding academic integrity, the preparation of final-year research projects and the responsibilities of students when making claims about academic staff.

Final-year research projects are an important component of many university programmes, requiring students to demonstrate their understanding of a subject and their ability to conduct independent academic work under appropriate supervision.

The allegations raised in the video also concern the role of project supervisors in guiding students through research without replacing their own academic work.

The university, however, did not provide further details about the lecturer allegedly involved or announce any disciplinary action against a member of staff in connection with the claim.

IAUE Highlights Position in Google Scholar Ranking

The university’s announcement also highlighted its reported position in a 2026 institutional ranking based on staff submissions of Google Scholar profiles.

According to the statement, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Okechukwu Onuchuku reported that IAUE ranked seventh among institutions under the ranking exercise.

Okiridu commended academic staff whose research articles and other scholarly publications had attracted citations on Google Scholar, attributing the institution’s progress to their contributions.

She urged the academics to sustain their research and publication efforts to improve the university’s visibility.

Google Scholar is a platform used to discover scholarly literature and track citations to academic publications.

Institutional visibility on the platform can reflect the reach and citation of researchers’ work, although the university’s statement did not provide details of the institutions included in the ranking, the methodology used, or the specific measures applied to determine the seventh-place position.

The ranking announcement formed part of the institution’s communication on academic performance and research output, highlighting the role of staff publications in strengthening its scholarly profile.

Disciplinary Decision Raises Questions About Academic Conduct

The expulsion marks a significant disciplinary decision against a final-year student over statements circulated on social media about her research project.

While IAUE said the action was intended to deter similar conduct, the statement did not provide information about whether the student had been offered an opportunity to respond formally to the allegations, the specific provisions of the university’s regulations applied or whether an appeal process was available.

The institution also did not provide further details on the status of the lecturer named in the student’s reported account.

The case places academic conduct and public communication in focus, particularly where statements made online involve allegations about university staff and academic procedures.

For now, the university’s position is that the student’s conduct warranted expulsion. Further information on the disciplinary process, any possible appeal and the lecturer-related allegation was not included in the statement announcing the Senate’s decision.