The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has issued a blistering condemnation of the University of Ibadan (UI) for what it termed the shameful and unlawful suspension of three students; Ayodele Aduwo, Mide Gbadegesin, and Nice Linus, for peacefully protesting against tuition hikes.
In a statement released on Wednesday, CAPPA described the disciplinary actions as a culmination of sustained harassment and intimidation by university authorities against the students, whose only offence was holding placards reading “No To Fee Hike” during a gathering last year.
According to Robert Egbe, CAPPA’s Media and Communications Officer, Aduwo and Gbadegesin were handed four-semester suspensions following their appearance before UI’s Central Disciplinary Committee on July 14, 2025.
“These young people, despite their stellar academic records and their efforts to make the university a better place, have faced constant arrests, assaults, and public vilification, all under the directive of the university management and its security operatives,” CAPPA stated.
Highlighting the case of Ms. Nice Linus, the group noted that she was democratically elected into the UI Student Representative Council just months ago.
However, her victory was overturned by university officials, who claimed she was ineligible due to a pending disciplinary matter.
The university's Deputy Registrar, Tijani I. Musa, enforced her disqualification, stating that ongoing disciplinary cases bar students from contesting.
CAPPA, however, challenged the legality of this decision, pointing out that the UI Student Union Constitution permits disqualification only in cases where students have been found guilty of gross misconduct.
“Ms. Nice has not been convicted of any offence. She is still on trial, and yet her mandate was forcefully stripped from her in broad daylight,” the statement read.
The group decried the suspension of the students as a gross violation of their constitutional rights, particularly those enshrined in Sections 38 and 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantee freedom of thought and expression.
“Universities are supposed to be sanctuaries for free inquiry, intellectual rigour, and civic development.
“Instead, the University of Ibadan has resorted to despotic measures that contradict its mission to train independent thinkers,” CAPPA asserted.
The organisation also contextualised the protest by highlighting the economic strain currently affecting public university students in Nigeria.
According to CAPPA, the fee hikes at UI have seen tuition rise by between 500 and 1,000 per cent, from ₦69,000 to as much as ₦412,000 in some departments.
“These fees are simply unaffordable for many students from low-income backgrounds,” said Zikora Ibeh, CAPPA’s Assistant Executive Director.
“Some female students, out of sheer desperation, have resorted to selling their eggs to fertility clinics just to stay in school and survive. This is a damning indictment of the system,” Ibeh added.
Ibeh accused the university of prioritising repression over reform. “Rather than responding to the real and urgent needs of its students, the UI administration has poured resources into surveillance, intimidation, and suppression of dissent,” she said.
Defending the trio of suspended students, CAPPA described them as principled young leaders whose only offence was demanding a fair and humane education system.
“Aduwo, Gbadegesin, and Linus are not troublemakers. They are shining examples of democratic citizenship in action.
“The message the university is sending is clear: if you think critically, speak boldly, or challenge injustice, you will be silenced. This is unacceptable in any institution that claims to be a bastion of learning,” the organisation declared.
In its closing remarks, CAPPA demanded the immediate and unconditional reinstatement of the suspended students and warned that the university would be held accountable for any harm they suffer as a result of its actions.
“We call on civil society organisations, human rights defenders, trade unions, the UI alumni community, and all Nigerians of conscience to speak out against this injustice.
“The civic space in Nigeria is shrinking dangerously. Universities must not be turned into training grounds for authoritarianism,” CAPPA added.
The group expressed deep concern that UI, once revered as a beacon of academic freedom and intellectual bravery, now risks losing its moral and institutional prestige.
“Generations of courageous thinkers and leaders emerged from this university, people who stood up against tyranny and injustice.
“Today, their legacy is being trampled by those who fear young minds that dare to think for themselves,” the group maintained.
CAPPA pledged to continue supporting the affected students and to raise awareness about the situation on every platform available.
“We will not be silent. We stand with Ayodele, Mide, and Nice. We urge all Nigerians to join us in demanding justice and restoring academic freedom,” he posited.
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