Court Set for Final Hearing in Case of UI Students Rusticated Over Fee Protest

Supporters and civil society groups are mobilising ahead of the final court hearing in the case involving three students of the University of Ibadan who were rusticated after protesting against a hike in school fees.

The advocacy group Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA, announced that it will appear at the Federal High Court, Ibadan on Tuesday in solidarity with the affected students — Mide Gbadegesin, Aduwo Ayodele, and Nice Linus as their case comes up for final hearing.

In a statement shared with supporters, a source involved in the campaign said the organisation decided to provide legal backing to challenge what it described as the students’ victimisation for peacefully protesting the increase in tuition fees.

According to the statement, CAPPA believes universities should encourage intellectual debate rather than suppress students’ right to express dissent, “Universities are spaces for intellectual freedom, not environments for policing and suppressing legitimate expressions of students,” the source said, adding that a favourable judgment would represent “a victory for all victimised students across the country.”

The group also called on supporters, particularly those in Lagos and nearby areas, to attend the court session to demonstrate solidarity with the students.

The controversy began in May 2024 during the inauguration ceremony of the Students’ Union Government at the University of Ibadan. The three students displayed placards bearing messages such as “FEESMUSTFALL” to protest against a proposed increase in school fees.

The students maintain that the protest was peaceful and that they neither disrupted the event nor obstructed proceedings. However, they alleged that security personnel forcefully removed them from the venue and subjected them to physical assault before handing them over to security operatives.

Following the incident, the university initiated disciplinary proceedings against them, accusing them of misconduct and insubordination. Two of the students were later rusticated for four semesters, a decision that sparked criticism from civil society organisations and rights groups.

Human rights advocates argue that the disciplinary measures were excessive and intended to silence student dissent.

The trio subsequently filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Ibadan, challenging the legality of the university’s disciplinary actions and arguing that their punishment violated their constitutional rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

Civil society organisations, including CAPPA, have continued to campaign for their reinstatement, describing the sanctions as an attack on academic freedom and democratic rights on Nigerian campuses.