A strict code of conduct at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) in Bauchi has resulted in the university’s decision to expel any student found violating the university’s dress code and code of conduct, as outlined in the revised student handbook.
A memorandum signed by Professor U.S. Abdullahi, the dean of Students Affairs at the university, and dated April 27, 2023, details the revised regulations. The memo was addressed to the president of the Students Union Government and all students of the university.
The dean cautioned students and the university community against contravening the regulations, which were approved during the 161st regular Senate Meeting of the institution on April 13, 2023.
Any student found guilty, according to the memorandum with REF:ATBU/SAD/SUG/VOL 11/0113 posted on the Facebook page of the university, faces one or two semesters of suspension, depending on the offense.
“The following are extract of the 30 most salient misconducts from the revised Handbook. All students and members of the University community are requested to avoid such types of misconducts,” the memo reads.
The memo specifies that unwelcome physical contact such as touching, kissing, hugging, massaging, or sitting on the laps of the opposite sex will result in a two-semester suspension.
Furthermore, violations such as multi-colored hair for females, dreadlocks, sagging, reckless driving, tattoos, and additional piercings in the nose, eye, and mouth will lead to a one-semester suspension.
Other infractions including wearing torn jeans, backless clothing, off-shoulder attire, hair braiding for male students, and bum shorts, among other offenses, also warrant a one-semester suspension.
The secretary general of the student union government, SUG, ATBU chapter AbdulRauf Al-Amin, confirmed the authenticity of the memorandum and stated that the new guidelines are not foreign to the students.
“We received the memo from the university last week, which I personally shared with the students across various platforms; most of the things contained are not new, it was only reviewed,” he said.
