The Lagos State Joint Campus Committee of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has welcomed the judgment of the Federal High Court in Ibadan, ordering the reinstatement of three University of Ibadan students over their involvement in a fee protest.
In a statement issued on Thursday, April 16, 2026, the association described the ruling as a positive step in defence of students’ rights and called on the university management to immediately comply with the court order.
The students: Ayodele Aduwo, Mide Gbadegesin, and Nice Linus, were previously sanctioned following a protest in which they displayed placards opposing tuition increases.
The court had earlier ruled that their rustication and related disciplinary actions were unlawful, ordering their immediate reinstatement.
Reacting to the judgment, NANS JCC Lagos urged the university management to reinstate the affected students without delay and issue an apology for what it described as unjust disciplinary measures.
The group further criticised the handling of student activism on campus, stating that institutional resources should be directed toward improving academic welfare rather than penalising student activists.
It also called for increased investment in the education sector, urging government authorities to commit at least 26 per cent of national resources to education in line with UNESCO recommendations.
NANS JCC Lagos further demanded the reversal of tuition fee increases and the introduction of a Cost of Learning Allowance for Nigerian students.
The association described student activism as a legitimate tool for advocacy and warned against what it termed continued attempts to suppress dissent within tertiary institutions.
