By Zainab Bakare
The University of Ibadan has invited three students to face a disciplinary committee as a result of their involvement in the recent fee hike protests on the campus.
This invitation was issued by the Students’ Affairs Division of the school signed by T.I Musa. Contained in the memo, Olamide Gbadegesin of the Institute of African Studies, Aduwo Ayodele of the Department of Histoy, 200lvl and Nice Linus are to face the committee on Tuesday over alleged “unruly behaviour”.
In a statement by the Alliance of Nigerian Students’ (ANSA) coordinator, Oladepo Temitope, he expresses his displeasure and disappointment in the management’s means to subdue the protesters.
“We firmly believe in the right of students to peacefully protest and voice their concerns without fear of retaliation. The management’s actions undermine these fundamental rights and betray the trust that should exist between educational institutions and their student bodies.
We call upon the management to cease all forms of victimisation against the #FeesMustFall comrades. Universities must uphold values of inclusivity, respect for diversity, and the free exchange of ideas.
The group also gave the management seven working days which started on Monday, July 1, 2024, to reverse the school fees hike and declare the innocence of the accused students or a mass protests will hold within the campus.
“Moreover, we sound it as a note of warning to the management that if our comrades are not vindicated as soon as possible and that the exorbitant hike in fees does not revert to normal within seven working days, which starts Monday, July 1, 2024, we shall come down en masse to the campus to stand in solidarity with our comrades until the above-mentioned are achieved.”