No fewer than 8,603 students were on Friday formally admitted into the Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi (JOSTUM), formerly Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, for the 2025/2026 academic session.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Itodo, while administering the matriculation oath, warned the new intakes against cultism, examination malpractice, sexual harassment, drug abuse and other social vices, describing them as acts capable of abruptly ending their academic pursuits.
“Cultism, examination malpractice, sexual harassment, drug abuse and similar vices are express tickets out of this university,” Itodo cautioned.
He listed breakdown of the figures which showed that 7,059 are regular undergraduate students, 215 were admitted into the sandwich programme, while 1,938 are postgraduate students.
The Vice-Chancellor urged the students to quickly adjust to campus life, define their priorities and remain focused, stressing that the university would not condone any conduct capable of undermining its standards of excellence.
He explained that matriculation marked the students’ formal entry into the institution and a commitment to abide by its rules, regulations and academic culture.
Prof. Itodo further charged the students to be disciplined and committed to learning, noting that the university was strategically positioned to contribute solutions to Nigeria’s food security challenges and technological development.
“Nigeria looks to this university to lead in providing solutions in food security and technological innovations. Your responsibility begins today – not just to pass examinations, but to become the innovators the nation desperately needs,” he said.
