A university class rep has reportedly been arrested after his coursemates uncovered a massive price increase scheme that funded his sudden lifestyle upgrade.
The incident, which went viral, highlights the growing tension between students and student leaders amidst the country’s current economic climate.
According to reports from students and social media accounts from individuals in the institution, it was alleged that the class rep used his position as the class rep to extort money from his classmate.
The textbook was officially priced at ₦3,500, but the class rep informed the department that the price had increased to ₦8,500 due to “printing costs and logistics”.
With the class having an average number of about 100 students, the class rep got away with the huge sum of ₦500,000 in “excess charges”.
Things took an unexpected turn as the class rep, who was previously using an iPhone XR, showed up to a lecture just days after the book sale with a brand-new iPhone 16 (currently retailing for over ₦1.2 million, depending on the model).
A group of students led by a vigilant coursemate decide to go for and make enquiries on the initial price of the book. The students were shocked to discover that the actual price was still ₦3,500.
When confronted by a mob of angry students, the class rep was unable to provide a coherent explanation for the ₦5,000 difference per book.
The angry students trying to avoid taking the law into their hands called the School Security unit, who later handed over the incident to the police for “obtaining money under false pretences”.
The incident has sparked a massive debate on Nigerian “Campus X” (Twitter) regarding the integrity of student leadership.
“If he can do this with 100 students at the age of 21, imagine what he will do if he becomes a local government chairman. Arresting him was the right move.” — Popular student comment.
The student is faced with a potential expulsion from the university for gross misconduct and theft, in addition to criminal charges if the student refuses to settle for a refund.
This report was produced by the editorial team at The Gazette News | Latest News In Nigeria & the World in line with our commitment to accuracy, fairness, and responsible journalism. Information in this article is based on verified sources available at the time of publication. The Gazette News | Latest News In Nigeria & the World may update the story as new facts emerge or additional context becomes available.
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