The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has issued a fiery condemnation of the University of Ibadan’s decision to suspend two student activists — Aduwo Ayodele and Mide Gbadegesin — over their participation in a peaceful protest against the institution’s tuition hike.

The duo were handed four-semester suspensions following a disciplinary panel convened by the university, sparking widespread outrage within the student community and among rights groups.

In a statement on Tuesday, NANS described the suspension as “a dangerous assault on democracy” and a gross violation of both due process and fundamental human rights.

“Their crime? Holding placards with #FeesMustFall — a peaceful, symbolic act of protest at a time when students across Nigeria are crushed under the weight of unbearable economic hardship,” the statement read.

The association accused the University of Ibadan of suppressing dissent, using disciplinary panels as tools of intimidation, and acting in defiance of both national and international norms protecting the right to peaceful protest.

• Immediate and unconditional reversal of the rustication order.
• A public apology from the university’s management to the affected students and the broader student body.
• An end to what it described as “the persecution of student activists” on Nigerian campuses.

“We salute the bravery of Comrades Aduwo, Nice, and Mide. They stood when it was dangerous to stand. They spoke when silence would have been easier. And for that, they carry the burden of our collective resistance,” the statement added.

The case has also attracted international attention. Amnesty International has condemned the suspension as unjust and urged the University of Ibadan to uphold the students’ right to peaceful expression.

“No one should be punished for decrying the university’s fee hike during Nigeria’s worst economic crisis in a generation,” Amnesty said in a separate statement.

NANS has vowed to launch a nationwide campaign in response to what it sees as an emerging pattern of clampdowns on student activism. The group called on student unions, civil society organisations, and pro-democracy groups to rally in solidarity with the suspended students.

“This will not go unanswered. We will respond with strategy, solidarity, and unshakable courage,” NANS concluded.

As tensions rise, pressure continues to mount on the University of Ibadan to rescind the suspensions, with many warning that actions like this only deepen the disconnect between university authorities and the students they are meant to serve.

The university is yet to issue a formal response to the growing criticisms.