The Veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN) has taken a bold step by closing the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Edo State. This move follows the institution’s failure to meet the essential standards required to run its Veterinary Medicine programme.
The President of the Veterinary Council of Nigeria, Dr. Aishatu Abubaka-Baju, who is also a serving Assistant Inspector General of Police, confirmed the development on Tuesday during the 60th Annual Congress of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association in Jos, Plateau State.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Dr. Abubaka-Baju stated that the decision to shut down the faculty came after a thorough assessment of the university’s facilities and academic standards.
“We are just coming from the University of Benin and other universities. We have closed down Veterinary Medicine at the University of Benin for lack of standards, so it cannot admit students. For the University of Abuja, it was granted interim accreditation, and the council will revisit the universities in two years,” she stated.
This closure means that UNIBEN will no longer be allowed to admit new students into its veterinary programme until it meets the necessary requirements.