IBADAN — In a landmark judgment affirming the sanctity of constitutional freedoms on campus, a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan has ordered the University of Ibadan (UI) to immediately reinstate three students suspended following a May 2024 protest against tuition fee hikes.
The presiding judge, Justice Nkeonye Maha, on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, described the university’s disciplinary process as “fundamentally flawed” and a “gross violation” of the students’ right to a fair hearing. The court also awarded ₦20 million in damages to the affected students—Aduwo Ayodele, Gbadegesin Olamide Iyanuoluwa, and Linus Nice Adaoma—for the psychological and academic trauma caused by their victimization.
A Victory for Dissent
The legal battle stemmed from an incident on May 13, 2024, when the trio participated in a peaceful demonstration during a Students’ Union inauguration ceremony. Carrying placards with inscriptions such as “No To Fee Hike” and “#FeesMustFall,” the students were protesting a sharp increase in educational costs at Nigeria’s premier university.
The court heard harrowing testimonies of how the students were forcibly removed from the venue by internal security, allegedly handed over to a mob that physically assaulted them, and later subjected to a disciplinary committee that summarily rusticated them for four semesters.
”The university authorities failed to deny these damning allegations,” Justice Maha noted while delivering the judgment. “The proceedings leading to their suspension are hereby declared null and void. The university is restrained from further victimising these students for exercising their constitutional rights.”
Restoration of Rights
The ruling mandates UI to restore all rights and privileges to the students, including their right to attend lectures, sit for examinations, and participate in student union activities.
For Linus Nice Adaoma, who had reportedly faced institutional restrictions and exclusion from the Student Representative Council even without a formal suspension letter, the court specifically ordered an end to all forms of administrative harassment.
Civil Society Reacts
The judgment has been hailed as a watershed moment for student activism in Nigeria. The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), which supported the students’ legal challenge, praised the court for protecting freedom of thought and expression as guaranteed under Sections 38 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution.
”When students are punished for peaceful protest, it signals a dangerous intolerance for dissent,” said Zikora Ibeh, CAPPA’s Assistant Executive Director. “This victory belongs to every student who believes that their voice matters in the governance of their institution.”
As at the time of filing this report, the University of Ibadan management had not issued an official statement regarding whether it intends to appeal the judgment.
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