By AHMED KAIGAMA

The management of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, has dismissed as fake a memo prohibiting mixing of male and female students in public during the Ramadan fast.

The viral social media memo signed by Dr Aisha Rahman, Director of Academics, warned that defaulters would be compel to marry and bear the cost of their wedding reception.

Reacting, Zailani Bappa, Director, Information and Public Relations of the university, dismissed the circular as “fake and ridiculous.”

In a statement on Friday in Bauchi, Bappa said the document was poorly drafted and falsely attributed to the institution.

“The fake memo was purportedly signed by one Prof. Dr Aisha Rahman, who was presented as the Director of Academics. An office that does not exist in the university’s administrative structure. Management clarified that no such staff member is employed by ATBU.

“The fraudulent memo allegedly warned students to refrain from standing in public with members of the opposite sex during the Ramadan period.

“It further claimed that any couple found standing together in public would be compelled to marry and bear the responsibility of organising their wedding reception. The content of the memo Is entirely false, baseless and ridiculous,” he said.

Bappa urged students, staff, stakeholders and members of the public to disregard the memo, and verify information from the official university communication channels. (NAN)