A Federal High Court in Ibadan has ordered the University of Ibadan to immediately reinstate three students who were suspended for four semesters after staging a protest against tuition fee increases.
Justice Nkeonye Maha delivered the ruling on Wednesday, setting aside a disciplinary committee decision that had seen students Aduwo Ayodele, Gbadegesin Iyanuoluwa, and Linus Adaoma penalized for demonstrating during the inauguration of the institution’s newly elected student union executives on May 13, 2024.
The students, represented by counsel Adedayo Ajani, had carried placards and called for a reduction in school fees during the event. They were subsequently handed over to Operation Burst, a state joint security network, and later faced a disciplinary committee which suspended them in July 2025.
Justice Maha ruled that while universities retain the right to discipline students, such powers must be exercised fairly and within the bounds of the law. She found that the disciplinary committee had denied the students fair hearing and treated them as criminals, rendering its decision null and void.
The court also noted that there was no evidence before it that the students’ peaceful demonstration had disrupted or prevented the completion of the inauguration ceremony.
“I hereby set aside the decision of the institution’s disciplinary committee and order the reinstatement of the suspended students and as well restore their full studentship from May 13, 2024,” Justice Maha declared.
The ruling additionally bars the university and its agents from subjecting the three students to any further disciplinary action over the same matter.
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