FUOYE Student Union Slams UI Over Suspension of Protesters

The Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) has condemned the suspension of three students of the University of Ibadan (UI) for protesting a hike in tuition fees, demanding their immediate reinstatement.

In a statement released on Saturday, the FUOYE SUG described the disciplinary action against the students — Olamide Gbadegeshin, Aduwo Ayodele, and Nice Linus — as unjust and politically motivated. The trio, now widely referred to as the “UI3,” had joined other students in protesting a steep fee increase from ₦69,000 to over ₦412,000.

FUOYE student leaders, including SUG President Comrade Adio James, General Secretary Comrade Alao Ayorinde, and PRO Comrade Abiola David, said the university carried out a “shambolic trial” that denied the students due process and legal representation.

“Their peaceful protest was a courageous stand for accessible education, not a crime,” the statement read. “Silencing these students betrays the university’s mission and undermines the right to education and free expression.”

The union expressed solidarity with the broader #FeesMustFall movement and allied student bodies like the Alliance of Nigerian Students Against Neo-Liberal Attacks (ANSA) and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

Calling the fee hike “outrageous” and the suspension “repressive,” FUOYE’s SUG vowed to mobilise its members and work with civil society groups to fight the decision.

“The University of Ibadan must reinstate the UI3, reverse the fee hike, and uphold students’ rights. The struggle for affordable education is a shared one. Across campuses, we rise with them,” the union said.