The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has praised the judiciary for overturning the suspension of student activists at the University of Ibadan, describing the ruling as a win for free expression.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by its Media and Communications Officer, Robert Egbe, the group called on the university to immediately comply with the judgment of the Federal High Court in Ibadan by reinstating the affected students and issuing an unreserved apology.
The judgment set aside the rustication of Ayodele Aduwo and Mide Gbadegesin, while also addressing the alleged victimisation of Nice Linus, who had displayed placards protesting a fee hike during a student event in 2024.
Delivering the ruling, N. E. Maha noted that the university did not refute claims that the students were forcibly removed from a hall by internal security personnel, assaulted by a mob, and later handed over to security operatives after being labelled as cultists.
CAPPA’s Assistant Executive Director, Zikora Ibeh, said the decision sends a clear signal to academic institutions against the use of intimidation to silence dissent.
“The court’s decision shows that suppressing legitimate expression through force or disciplinary measures is unlawful and unacceptable,” she said.
The group explained that the incident dated back to May 13, 2024, when the students displayed placards reading “No To Fee Hike” and “#FeesMustFall” during a Students’ Union inauguration.
According to their testimony, they were removed from the venue, assaulted and later subjected to disciplinary action. Aduwo and Gbadegesin were suspended for four semesters, while Linus reportedly faced continued restrictions, including being denied her role as a student representative despite winning an election.
The students subsequently approached the court, arguing that their punishment was aimed at silencing peaceful protest.
CAPPA described the case as part of a broader trend of repression of student activism in Nigerian universities, particularly around issues of rising tuition.
The organisation also commended the legal team led by Joseph Opute, alongside O. Onifade, for securing the judgment.
It urged university authorities nationwide to respect students’ constitutional rights and adopt more inclusive approaches in decision-making, especially on policies affecting welfare.
CAPPA added that persistent underfunding of the education sector continues to shift financial burdens onto students, warning that protests would continue unless structural issues are addressed.
