BREAKING: University Of Ibadan Summons Three Students Before Disciplinary Panel Over Peaceful Protest Against Rising Education Cost

The University of Ibadan in Oyo State has summoned some students to appear before the Student Disciplinary Committee for allegedly obstructing the swearing-in ceremony of the 2023/2024 Students’ Union executives — an action the students say is being used to silence peaceful protest on campus.

According to an internal memorandum signed by S. O. Oyewumi, Deputy Registrar (Students), Aduwo Ayodele, a 400-level student of History, and two other students are to appear before the panel on Monday, 30 June 2025, at 9.30 a.m. in the Conference Room of the Student Affairs Division.

It reads, “You are invited to appear before the Student Disciplinary Committee for Jointly Committed Offences meeting as follows: Date: Monday, 30 June 2025 Venue: Conference Room, Student Affairs Division Time: 9.30a.m.

“The meeting is a continuation of the investigations on the allegation of misconduct concerning insubordination/unruly behaviour to wit obstruction of the swearing-in ceremony for the 2023/2024 Newly Elected Executives of the Students Union, by you and two other students.

“Please note that you must be properly dressed when you appear before the Student Disciplinary Committee. Failure to honour this invitation may earn you disciplinary action.”

The memo states that the case involves misconduct bordering on insubordination and unruly behaviour.

The memo also instructed that students must be properly dressed, warning that failure to comply with the invitation may result in further disciplinary action.

Reacting to the development, Aduwo Ayodele said: “On May 13, 2024, during the inauguration of the Students’ Union at the University of Ibadan, we staged a peaceful protest holding placards to draw attention to the rising cost of education and the growing threat of commercialisation in public universities.

“Rather than engage with our concerns, the University management responded with force. The University security personnel physically assaulted us, handed us over to the Nigerian Army, and the university has since subsequently initiated disciplinary actions against us.

“Since July 2, when it first invited us to a Fact-Finding panel, we have been subjected to endless disciplinary proceedings, essentially for exercising our constitutional right to protest and express dissent.

“Just last Thursday, we received yet another invitation to appear before the disciplinary panel. From all indications, the University management appears poised to take punitive action against us.

“A university should never conduct itself in the manner we are witnessing. The right of students to dissent, especially in response to oppressive policies such as the commercialisation of education and arbitrary fee hikes amid a worsening economic climate, must be protected and not crushed.

“Subjecting such legitimate resistance to institutional repression is not only unjust but fundamentally at odds with the values a university ought to uphold.”

Efforts by SaharaReporters to get a response from the university management were unsuccessful, as the mobile phone line of the Dean of Student Affairs, Professor Keye Abiona, was not reachable at the time of filing this report.