Court Strikes Out UI Application Against Student Activists, Clears Way For Continued Studies As CAPPA Calls For End To Persecution

Court Strikes Out UI Application Against Student Activists, Clears Way For Continued Studies As CAPPA Calls For End To Persecution

By Prince Benson Davies

The Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan has struck out an application filed by the University of Ibadan seeking to stop three of its students from continuing their studies pending the determination of its appeal.

The application was filed by the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Kayode Adebowale, against three student activists, Ayodele Aduwo, Mide Gbadegesin and Linus Adaoma, who were disciplined by the university for staging a peaceful protest against increment in school fees in 2024.

The suit, numbered FHC/IB/CS/87/2025, stemmed from the university’s disciplinary action against the students after they displayed placards with the inscriptions No To Fee Hike and FeesMustFall during a student gathering.

Justice N. E. Maha of the Federal High Court, Ibadan Division, had on April 15, 2026, nullified the disciplinary action taken against the students, describing it as unlawful, and ordered their immediate reinstatement.

Instead of fully complying with the judgment, the university proceeded on appeal and filed an application for stay of execution and an injunction seeking to restrain the students from attending classes while the appeal lasts.

When the matter came up for hearing on Monday, the court held that there was nothing left to stay as the students had already resumed academic activities and the substantive appeal was already before the Court of Appeal. The court advised the university to channel any further application to the appellate court.

Consequently, the counsel to the university withdrew the application. The court struck it out and cautioned the university’s legal team to exercise greater diligence in filing processes before the court.

By the ruling, the three students are free to continue attending classes and participating in academic activities unless the Court of Appeal orders otherwise.

Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA, which provided legal support for the students, has welcomed the court’s decision and called on the University of Ibadan to bring the lingering dispute to a close.

CAPPA said the university should respect the fundamental rights of the students and comply with the judgment of the Federal High Court, noting that peaceful expression and protest are legitimate elements of democratic participation, particularly in a university environment where students should be encouraged to interrogate policies that affect their welfare.

The organisation recalled that the students’ ordeal started on May 13, 2024, when they peacefully displayed placards during the inauguration of the Students’ Union leadership. According to CAPPA, the students were forcibly removed from the venue, assaulted and labelled as cultists. They were thereafter subjected to prolonged intimidation and harassment, culminating in disciplinary proceedings.

At the end of the proceedings, Aduwo and Gbadegesin were suspended for four semesters while Adaoma, though not formally suspended, was prevented from resuming her position as a legislator in the Students Representative Council despite winning majority votes in the election.

CAPPA said the students approached the Federal High Court to challenge the sanctions, arguing that they were being punished for exercising their constitutional rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. They contended that the disciplinary measures were aimed at silencing lawful dissent and discouraging other students from speaking against policies considered unjust.

The organisation said the latest court decision provides an opportunity for the university to de-escalate the matter and restore dialogue, accountability and respect for students’ rights on campus.

CAPPA urged the university management to refrain from any further action that could be seen as retaliatory and to allow the students to complete their studies without intimidation, harassment or discrimination.

It particularly appealed to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adebowale, to demonstrate leadership and moral responsibility expected of his office by ending the dispute in a dignified manner and upholding the rule of law. The group said the Vice-Chancellor should see the affected students not as adversaries but as young people entrusted to the university’s care who deserve patience, guidance and protection.

According to CAPPA, allowing the students to complete their studies peacefully would affirm the best traditions of the University of Ibadan and would help the Vice-Chancellor leave office as a leader who chose dialogue, justice and students’ welfare over prolonged confrontation.

The organisation also called on Nigerian universities to review their disciplinary procedures to ensure that constitutional rights of students are protected and that peaceful protest or criticism of institutional policies is not criminalised.

The Assistant Executive Director of CAPPA, Zikora Ibeh, said the court has spoken on the immediate issue and the responsible thing for the University of Ibadan to do is to obey the judgment and uphold the rule of law. She reaffirmed the organisation’s solidarity with the affected students and urged authorities to uphold freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, due process and democratic participation in tertiary institutions.