Six LAUTECH Students Suspended Following Campus Protest and Social Media Leak

LAUTECH has suspended six students for four semesters over their involvement in a campus protest and alleged unauthorized dissemination of official information.

The management of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo state, has suspended six students for four semesters over their alleged involvement in a recent protest in the university and the unauthorised dissemination of official information on social media.

The university said the protest was staged on February 17 and 19, 2026, in reaction to the senate’s decision to move the departments of anatomy and physiology from the College of Health Sciences to the faculty of pure and applied sciences.

The affected students are John Olorunfemi of the department of anatomy, and Samuel Jesuloba, Taofeek Alege, Damilare Onabanjo, David Abolade and Basheerah Muritala of the department of physiology, all in the faculty of basic medical sciences.

In separate suspension letters issued to the students dated May 26 and obtained by The Cable on Friday, the university said its senate approved the sanctions after considering reports of the student disciplinary committee (SDC).

According to the letters signed by Olayinka Balogun, registrar, Jesuloba, Alege, Olorunfemi, Abolade and Muritala were found culpable of participating in the protest that led to the locking of the gates of the university’s College of Health Sciences.

The letters stated that the senate, at its meeting on March 24, 2026, considered the disciplinary committee’s report and concluded that the students’ actions amounted to misconduct.

“It should be noted that your action contravened the matriculation oath you swore to as well as the University regulations,” the letter reads.

“The Senate in line with the University policy approved your suspension from the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso for four (4) semesters effective from the Harmattan Semester of the 2025/2026 academic session.”

The university directed the students not to be seen within its premises during the period of suspension and said they would be allowed to resume studies in the 2027/2028 academic session after serving the sanction.

Onabanjo was suspended on a separate allegation of leaking official university information on social media.

According to his suspension letter, he appeared before the disciplinary committee over the “unauthorized disclosure/dissemination of Official University information on social media especially the recent Decision of Senate on Movement of Anatomy and Physiology Departments from the College of Health Sciences to the Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences”.

The university said the action violated its regulations and the matriculation oath taken by students.

VIOLATION OF STUDENTS’ FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS

Reacting, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) condemned the suspension, describing it as unjust and a violation of students’ fundamental rights.

In a statement issued on Friday, Akinteye Afeez, NANS president, said the students were punished for participating in a peaceful protest.

“My attention has been drawn to the unjust suspension of students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology following a peaceful protest,” he said.

“Any management that chooses this path, denying students their fundamental rights and subsequently punishing them for exercising those rights, has only demonstrated oppressive and authoritarian tendencies.”

Akinteye argued that the right to peaceful protest is guaranteed under sections 39 and 40 of the 1999 constitution, which protect freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.

“As the President of NANS, saddled with the responsibility of representing the collective interests of Nigerian students, I condemn in the strongest possible terms this unjust suspension. No student should be suspended or expelled for exercising their fundamental rights,” he said.

The NANS president directed the organisation’s Zone D coordinator and the Oyo State Joint Campus Council chairman to intervene in the matter and engage the university management.

He also called on LAUTECH to immediately reverse the suspension.

“Accordingly, in my capacity as the President of NANS, I call on the management of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) to immediately reverse the suspension of our students, who only aired their grievances in a lawful and acceptable manner,” he said.

Akinteye warned that failure to reverse the decision could force NANS to relocate its secretariat to the university.

“Let it be noted that the continued insistence on this unlawful suspension would compel the leadership of NANS to relocate its Secretariat to Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH),” he added.