The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has condemned the rustication of students by Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK) over their alleged involvement in planning a peaceful demonstration. The civil society group described the action as a crackdown on student activism and has called for the immediate reinstatement of the affected students. The university authorities reportedly suspended the students for one academic session, citing criminal conspiracy, inciting public disturbance, and cyberbullying as reasons for the disciplinary action.

However, CAPPA argues that the students’ only offense was being part of a WhatsApp group created to discuss and mobilize for a protest against the university’s decision to introduce a third semester and impose an additional N20,000 fee per course for resitting carry-over exams. According to CAPPA, rather than addressing students’ concerns, the university administration, led by Professor Sa’adatu Hassan Liman, resorted to surveillance and coercion, with security operatives allegedly infiltrating the WhatsApp group to identify and target students.

Several affected students reported being tracked, arrested, handcuffed, and detained before securing bail, only to later face official rustication in December 2024. CAPPA has strongly condemned the violation of students’ rights, referencing Sections 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantee freedom of speech and peaceful assembly. The group also criticized the nullification of the university’s last student union election, calling it part of an increasing authoritarian culture aimed at suppressing student voices.

The organisation has demanded the immediate reinstatement of all suspended students and called for collective resistance against the commercialisation of public education. CAPPA warned that continued repression would lead to a society where students are stripped of critical thinking and independent thought, ultimately producing graduates incapable of challenging systemic injustices. The group urged stakeholders in the education sector and civil society organisations to speak out and resist what it described as a growing dictatorship in Nigerian universities.