THE MANAGEMENT of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUHSO), Benue State, has issued a detailed statement addressing the prolonged delay in the accreditation of its Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme, acknowledging the frustrations of students and attributing the crisis to challenges inherited by the current administration.
In the statement, the university said it decided to respond to growing public concerns surrounding the accreditation process “in the interest of fairness, transparency and public accountability.”
The management stated that it does not regard protesting medical students as adversaries but as “the very reason this institution exists,” while assuring students and parents that efforts were underway to resolve the lingering accreditation issues.
According to the statement, the current administration led by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Francis Aba Uba, inherited serious accreditation setbacks upon assumption of office on May 13, 2025.
The university disclosed that in the four years preceding the present administration, the MBBS programme did not receive any Resource Verification or Advisory Visit from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), the statutory regulatory body responsible for accrediting medical programmes in the country.
It further revealed that statutory fees required to initiate the accreditation process had not been paid before the current administration took over and that there had been no substantial engagement with the MDCN regarding accreditation.
The management explained that the situation created prolonged uncertainty for pioneer medical students admitted in the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 academic sessions, some of whom were sent home for extended periods while awaiting progress on the accreditation process.
The statement followed protests and agitation by medical students who accused the university authorities of poor communication and lack of transparency over the status of the MBBS accreditation exercise.
National Record had reported how the protesting students had expressed fears that continued delays in accreditation could jeopardise their academic future, prolong the duration of their studies and affect their eventual qualification as medical doctors.
The students had demanded clear timelines and explanations from the university management and relevant authorities regarding the accreditation process, insisting that the prolonged uncertainty was causing emotional and academic distress among students and their families.
Some of the students also alleged that they had repeatedly been asked to vacate the university premises and hostels due to the unresolved accreditation crisis, thereby disrupting their academic activities.
Days after the protest, the university management had announced the arrival of officials of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria for the accreditation exercise.
In an internal memorandum, dated May 18, 2026 and signed by the Registrar, Mr. Michael O. Ogiji, the university directed all MBBS students to be present for the accreditation exercise scheduled for May 21, 2026.
The memo specifically instructed 300-level MBBS students in Streams A and B for the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 academic sessions, who had earlier been directed to vacate the university premises and hostels, to return to campus on or before May 20.
“The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has graciously communicated to the University of its arrival on Thursday, 21st May, 2026 for the MBBS accreditation exercise,” the memorandum stated.
The university warned that attendance during the accreditation exercise was mandatory and that any student absent from the exercise would do so at his or her own risk.
Many students view the latest development as a major breakthrough in the prolonged accreditation crisis that has overshadowed the university’s medical programme since the admission of its pioneer students.
Observers say the successful conduct of the MDCN accreditation exercise could determine the future of the university’s MBBS programme and help restore confidence among students, parents and stakeholders concerned about the prolonged uncertainty surrounding medical training at the institution.
