The University of Benin (UNIBEN) has disowned a circular currently in circulation that purportedly outlines guidelines for the repayment of loans obtained under the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
The institution described the document as fake and misleading.
A circular dated January 23, signed by UNIBEN Registrar, A. A. Bobola, informed indebted students on the procedure for NELFUND loan repayment.
It stated, “This is to inform all students of the University of Benin who are beneficiaries of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) that the University Management has received the official guidelines for the repayment of student loans.”
The circular outlined the steps for loan repayment, urging indebted students to “strictly follow the two-step procedure.”
The development, however, has sparked intense debate across social media platforms, with students and stakeholders expressing confusion and concern, as the extant law establishing the Student Loan Act provides a two-year moratorium on loan repayment after graduation.
“I thought they said the student loan would be repaid after the government has provided a job for the graduating student? How on earth are you telling an unemployed person to pay back a loan?. Government of criminals”, a Facebook user, Kush Alabi, remarked.
But in a statement on Saturday, the university said the alleged circular did not originate from the institution or any of its official channels. The university management urged NELFUND subscribers, members of the university community and the general public to completely disregard the document.
According to the university, no repayment guidelines have been issued by the NELFUND office or the Federal Government regarding the education loan scheme, contrary to claims contained in the circulating notice.
“The university wishes to categorically state that the said circular is fake and did not emanate from any authorised source,” the statement read.
It further advised students and stakeholders to rely only on information released through official university platforms and relevant government agencies to avoid being misled.
In this article