The National Open University of Nigeria has on Friday shut down five study centres operating illegally in different parts of Lagos state.

According to the Director, Media and Information of the institution, Malam Ibrahim Sheme, the decision was necessitated by the consistent complaints brought to their notice by the general public.

A committee has been established to monitor the affairs of the study centres nationwide.

In his words “We will continue to clamp down on the activities of such centres, whose main aim is to defraud Nigerians of their hard-earned incomes, given the economic situation in the country today.

 “We just visited Lagos to monitor our centres and their operations and discovered five illegal study centres operating there.

“Anyone who wants to run a study centre must go through due process by officially registering with the institution, subject to meeting all the laid-down criteria. It is not by doing it illegally or by way of fraud. Those who discuss with NOUN for such purpose are given permission to do that, after meeting the prescribed requirements.”

He furthered that as many that would be caught as illegal operators of the Institutions centres would be brought to book adding that ignorance of the law is no excuse.

 “These owners of such schools who allowed the centres to be cited in their school premises will also face sanctions because they ought to have made their findings.

 “NOUN’s major mandate is to give access to education to all Nigerians who desire quality education, irrespective of age or social status.

He urged the general public to be sensitive and be on the lookout for such illegal centres.