Three students of the University of Ibadan (UI) — Ayodele Aduwo, Mide Gbadegesin, and Nice Linus — are facing disciplinary sanctions after staging a peaceful protest against the recent hike in school fees.
The students, who carried placards with the inscription “FEE MUST FALL”, said their action was intended to draw attention to the plight of students struggling under Nigeria’s harsh economic realities. Despite their protest being non-violent, the university management has suspended them for four semesters, a decision rights advocates describe as repressive and unjust.
Observers note that raising placards and speaking against fee increments fall within the students’ constitutional rights to freedom of expression and assembly. Human rights groups have condemned the disciplinary measures, saying no student should be punished for highlighting the impact of fee hikes during what many describe as the country’s worst economic crisis in a generation.
Reports indicate that for over a year, the affected students have been subjected to what critics call unfair and bizarre disciplinary hearings, further fueling concerns about shrinking civic space on Nigerian campuses.
Civil society organizations and student activists are now calling on the University of Ibadan authorities to immediately reverse the suspension and respect the rights of the three students. They argue that repression of dissent will only deepen tensions within the academic community at a time when dialogue and inclusiveness are most needed.
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