Administrative delays stall processing of substitute candidates from University of Maiduguri as April 2 deadline looms
At least 38 law graduates from the University of Maiduguri are at risk of missing admission into the Nigerian Law School for the 2025/2026 academic session due to administrative delays that have stalled the processing of their names, documents obtained by Spear News show.
With the Law School’s registration deadline set for Thursday, April 2, 2026, the affected graduates, many of whom have already spent years waiting at home, now face the possibility of an additional one year delay before they can begin their mandatory professional training.
Internal correspondence, student emails, and WhatsApp conversations reviewed by Spear News point to a breakdown in coordination between the University and the Nigerian Law School, leaving qualified candidates in limbo even as their peers have already resumed classes.
The Faculty of Law at the University of Maiduguri was allocated an approved quota of 200 candidates for the 2025/2026 Nigerian Law School admissions.
However, in a letter dated January 29, 2026, addressed to the Secretary to the Council and Director of Administration of the Nigerian Law School through the University Registrar, the Dean of the Faculty of Law, Professor Umar Suleiman Abbo Jimeta, disclosed a significant shortfall.
According to the letter, only 170 out of the 200 nominated candidates had successfully downloaded and completed their registration forms, leaving 30 slots unfilled.
In response, the Dean formally requested approval for substitute candidates:
“Based on the above shortfall of thirty (30) applicants to complete our quota of two hundred (200) candidates, we therefore humbly request for your kind consideration and approval of the attached list of thirty (30) applicants for 2025/2026 admission in place of those who couldn’t download and fill the forms.”
While this step indicates an effort by the University to fully utilize its quota, it also raises procedural concerns, particularly around eligibility verification and whether the substitution process could be completed within the required timeframe.
Beyond official correspondence, the human impact of the delays is evident in direct appeals from affected students.
In one email obtained by Spear News, students described the situation:
“The problem that happened to our faculty this year is that the school sent 200 names of students to the Nigerian Law School for admission, but unfortunately, it came out after second semester results that many students whose names were sent earlier had some courses that they didn’t pass, which made them not to graduate even though their names were still showing on the portal.
Out of the 200 names sent, only 162 applied so far and the remaining 38 slots are not occupied. So our faculty was trying to send our names for substitutions, but unfortunately up to this moment nothing has been done and the admission process is even about to finish without knowing our fate.
We want you sir to help us and reach out to the Law School officials… many of us have spent 2 years at home doing nothing.”
The message reflects not only administrative inefficiencies but also the emotional and economic strain on graduates whose professional timelines have been disrupted.
Further confirmation comes from WhatsApp exchanges between students and faculty members.
In one exchange during the Eid period, a student sought clarity: Student: “Thanks so much sir, but still looking forward on your mercy as our father, on the issue of sending our name to Law School. My set has started school.” Faculty: “Already sent, awaiting for the Law School.”
In another conversation, a student expressed frustration:
Student: “I am down ma [sick], due to this Law School that they didn’t put my name, I don’t know the reason.” Student: “I just confirmed from Dr. Abubakar Garba last week that the Law School has not yet given them the chance to send the remaining backup.” Student: “I don’t know if you have heard anything about the issue from other universities.”
These exchanges reinforce a consistent pattern: substitute names were submitted, but their processing remains pending.
On March 24, 2026, the Nigerian Law School issued a public notice stating:
“The Management of the Nigerian Law School hereby informs all prospective students yet to register for the 2025/2026 academic session that registration will close across all campuses of the School on Thursday, April 2, 2026. No student will be accepted for registration after this date.”
This deadline introduces significant urgency. For affected graduates, any further delay could mean missing the admission window entirely.
Up to 38 slots remain unfilled due to disqualifications discovered after initial submissions.
Substitute candidates appear not to have been processed in time by the Nigerian Law School.
Students report uncertainty and lack of clear updates regarding their admission status.
While the University attempted to fill its quota, delays raise broader questions about coordination and accountability between institutions.
January 29, 2026: Dean requests approval for 30 substitute candidates, February to March 2026: Academic results reveal disqualifications among initially nominated students, March 24, 2026: Nigerian Law School announces April 2 registration deadline and Late March 2026: Substitute names confirmed submitted but not yet processed
Spear News has obtained the full list of 38 student ID numbers of candidates awaiting substitution:
18/06/02/006, 19/06/02/215, 17/06/02/033, 18/06/01/052, 18/06/01/054, 17/06/01/102, 17/06/01/105, 17/06/01/001, 17/06/01/123, 19/06/02/401T, 18/06/01/053, 18/06/02/011, 18/06/02/029, 18/06/01/048, 19/06/02/402T, 17/06/01/088, 18/06/02/051, 19/06/01/221, 20/06/02/301, 20/06/02/312, 19/06/01/228, 17/06/02/032, 18/06/01/030, 19/06/01/227, 19/06/01/203, 19/06/01/237, 19/06/01/215, 19/06/01/229, 19/06/01/217, 17/06/01/005, 17/06/01/063, 18/06/02/C017, 19/06/02/212, 18/06/02/039, 19/06/02/204, 18/06/02/050, 20/06/02/242, 19/06/02/219.
The list underscores the scale of the issue and confirms that real individuals are directly affected.
Spear News made multiple attempts to obtain comments from both the University of Maiduguri and the Nigerian Law School.
Emails were sent to the Faculty of Law following receipt of the Dean’s letter, while follow up calls and messages were directed to administrative and public affairs contacts within the Nigerian Law School. Additional outreach was made to faculty representatives referenced in student communications.
As of the time of publication, no official responses have been received.
Sources indicate that the submissions are currently under review, though no formal confirmation or timeline has been communicated.
While substitution of candidates is not uncommon in Law School admissions, such processes are typically time sensitive and require close coordination between universities and the Law School.
Delays of this nature, particularly close to registration deadlines, highlight structural weaknesses in the system, especially when final academic results alter candidate eligibility after initial submissions.
For the affected graduates, the implications are immediate and deeply personal.
Years of academic effort now hang in the balance, dependent on administrative timelines beyond their control.
With the deadline fast approaching, their future remains uncertain, caught between institutional processes and bureaucratic delays.
Spear News will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as the situation unfolds.
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