WHERE DID THE 61 COME FROM?” AAU DISPUTES REPORT NURSING STUDENTS’ RESULTS WERE WITHHELD OVER IMPERSONATION CASE

Ambrose Alli University has pushed back against a report that the professional examination results of 61 of its nursing students were withheld following an alleged examination impersonation case, creating conflicting accounts over what happened and whether the reported group of affected students even exists.

SaharaReporters reported on September 26 that sources familiar with the matter said the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria had withheld results following the alleged detection of an impersonator during the professional examination.

According to those sources, an individual suspected of impersonating a candidate was allegedly detected through the Council's examination monitoring system.

The suspected impersonator reportedly fled the examination hall after being detected and has not been identified or apprehended.

Sources cited in the report claimed the incident resulted in the results of 61 candidates being withheld pending resolution of the case.

But Ambrose Alli University is disputing that account.

The university says it has no record showing that 61 of its nursing students were implicated in an examination malpractice investigation.

That leaves a significant factual dispute at the centre of the story.

SOURCES CLAIM 61 RESULTS WERE WITHHELD

According to SaharaReporters, the affected students had participated in a professional nursing examination administered by the NMCN.

Sources told the publication that the Council subsequently withheld the results of all 61 candidates after the alleged impersonation incident was detected.

One source claimed the suspected impersonator was captured on camera during monitoring of the examination and immediately left the examination hall after being discovered.

The person has reportedly not been found.

Crucially, the sources also said none of the 61 students had been individually identified as the person accused of impersonating another candidate.

That claim has generated questions over why an entire group of students would have their results withheld if responsibility for the alleged misconduct had not been established.

But AAU says the fundamental premise of the report is disputed.

AAU SAYS THE NUMBER 61 “DOES NOT EXIST”

Ambrose Alli University's spokesperson and Head of Corporate Communications, Otunba Mike Adelegun Aladenika, told SaharaReporters that the institution had no record corresponding with the alleged 61 affected students.

Aladenika said he contacted several officials connected to the nursing programme and examination process, including the Provost of the College of Medicine, the immediate past and current heads of the Department of Nursing, the Dean and a representative of the Registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

According to him, their accounts did not support the claim that 61 AAU students had been caught up in an examination malpractice case.

He said the Head of Department told him the figure of 61 did not exist in the university's records.

Aladenika also said the NMCN representative he contacted indicated that there was no corresponding record before the Council.

That directly conflicts with the account given by the unnamed sources cited by SaharaReporters.

IMPERSONATION ALLEGATION REMAINS UNRESOLVED

The central allegation concerns examination impersonation, a serious form of academic and professional misconduct.

But there is currently no publicly established identity for the alleged impersonator in the reporting.

There is also no publicly available official NMCN document cited in the report naming any of the 61 students as having committed impersonation.

That distinction is important.

The existence of an investigation or withheld result does not establish that an individual student committed examination malpractice.

And because the university disputes that 61 of its students were affected at all, the allegation should not be presented as an established finding against the students.

A definitive account from the Nursing and Midwifery Council will therefore be critical.

AAU SAYS INDUCTION WENT AHEAD

The original sources cited by SaharaReporters claimed the affected students had been expected to proceed to induction but could not do so because their results had been withheld.

AAU disputes that picture as well.

Aladenika said an induction ceremony took place on Friday and that more than 400 people were inducted.

He also referred to another group of more than 100 outstanding candidates from a different set, saying they were not connected to the alleged impersonation controversy.

The competing accounts make it unclear whether there is a distinct group of 61 nursing candidates awaiting results, whether a different number of candidates has outstanding results or whether the reported figure arose from another part of the examination process.

NMCN CONTROLS THE PROFESSIONAL EXAMINATION

One point on which there is greater clarity is the regulatory structure.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria is the federal regulatory body responsible for nursing and midwifery education standards, professional examinations, registration, certification and licensing.

That means the professional examination is administered under the Council's authority rather than being an ordinary internal AAU examination.

Aladenika stressed that distinction.

He said AAU presented its students for the professional examination but that any examination malpractice occurring during an NMCN-administered examination would fall within the Council's jurisdiction.

He nevertheless maintained that, to the best of his knowledge, there was no AAU student implicated in the reported incident.

STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BE DECLARED GUILTY WITHOUT EVIDENCE

The conflicting accounts create a particularly sensitive situation for the students involved.

If results have indeed been withheld while authorities investigate an unidentified impersonator, students who were not personally involved could face delays to professional registration and career progression.

But it would also be premature to conclude that 61 AAU students were collectively involved in malpractice.

The available reporting does not establish that.

Instead, it presents an allegation from unnamed sources that is directly challenged by the university.

The unanswered questions are therefore substantial.

Did the NMCN withhold 61 AAU nursing examination results?

Was an impersonator detected during the examination?

Which candidate was allegedly being impersonated?

Has the suspected impersonator been identified?

Were any AAU students formally accused of misconduct?

And if results were withheld, what process is being followed to separate innocent candidates from anyone found responsible?

Those questions require authoritative answers from the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

NMCN CLARIFICATION NOW CRITICAL

The Council's official position could resolve much of the confusion.

NMCN is responsible for professional nursing examinations and maintains the regulatory authority to investigate examination misconduct.

An official statement could establish whether results belonging to AAU candidates were withheld, how many candidates were affected and whether an impersonation investigation is underway.

Until that happens, the competing claims should remain clearly separated.

SaharaReporters' sources say 61 results were withheld after an alleged impersonator was detected.

Ambrose Alli University says it has no record of 61 affected students and says information obtained from an NMCN representative also did not support the claim.

Those two accounts cannot simply be merged into one established version of events.

For the nursing graduates whose careers may depend on the outcome, clarity cannot come soon enough.