The management of the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, has commenced plans to sanction students who protested against fee hike.

In a query served on one of the students by the university’s Dean of Student Affairs, I.A Abiona, dated May 24 and circulated on X on Tuesday, the school said students protesting over fee hike in the presence of the vice-chancellor was a gross misconduct.

“The Student Affairs Division has received a report from the office of the Vice Chancellor proffered against you, that on Monday, 13 May 2024, yourself and three (3) others students including an unknown person (Adeyeye Oluwafemi), disrupted the swearing in ceremony for the newly elected executives of the Student Union,” the query read.

It added, “At this event, Olamide Gbadegesin lyanuoluwa, Nice Linus, Adeyeye Oluwafemi (an unknown person) and yourself carried placards with scandalous inscriptions against school fees increment.” 

The school accused the students of gross misconduct, threatening to suspend them should they fail to respond to the query in 48 hours. 

“Your actions constitute an act of gross misconduct, particularly unruly behaviour in the presence of the vice chancellor and other members of the university management,” UI said.

An activist who joined the protest and described as “unknown person” in the query, Mr Adeyeye, berated the UI for suppressing protesters instead of addressing the issues they raised.

He stated, “This nonsense is expected because our university system is run by autocrats,” Mr Adeyeye told Peoples Gazette on Tuesday when contacted for his response. It was just a peaceful protest in a hall. Very quiet until they brought security officers, bundled us out, beat us, brought in heavily armed soldiers and drove us to Agodi where they held us for four hours. Instead of addressing the issues protesters raised, they went for the messenger. But we will resist it.”

Miffed by UI’s move to punish students for protesting fee hike amid economic hardship in the country, an X user, @musediqramon, posted a copy of the query, berating the UI. 

“The UI management has gone rogue again, some courageous students raised placards demanding that the demonic fee hike should be reversed, they were beaten, harassed, degraded and later arrested. Now, the management has summoned them with a view to expel them, we will resist,” he said.