The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has kicked against a decision by Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State, to suspend six students for four semesters over their alleged involvement in a protest and the unauthorised dissemination of official university information on social media.
The disciplinary action followed protests held on February 17 and 19, 2026, over the University Senate’s decision to transfer 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, alongside Samuel Jesuloba, Taofeek Alege, Damilare Onabanjo, David Abolade and Basheerah Muritala of the Department of Physiology.
In separate suspension letters dated May 26, 2026, and signed by the University Registrar, Olayinka Balogun, the institution said the sanctions were approved by the Senate after considering recommendations of the Student Disciplinary Committee (SDC).
According to the letters, Jesuloba, Alege, Olorunfemi, Abolade and Muritala were found culpable of participating in the protest, which reportedly led to the locking of the gates of the University’s College of Health Sciences.
“It should be noted that your action contravened the matriculation oath you swore to as well as the University regulations,” the university stated.
“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 further directed the affected students to stay away from all campuses and facilities during the suspension period, noting that they would only be eligible to resume academic activities in the 2027/2028 session upon completion of the sanction.
Onabanjo was suspended on a separate allegation bordering on the leakage of official university information on social media.
His suspension letter stated that 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 maintained that the act violated institutional regulations and the matriculation oath taken by students.
However, the suspensions have drawn criticism from NANS, which described the sanctions as unjust and a violation of students’ constitutional rights.
In a statement issued on Friday, NANS President, Akinteye Afeez, condemned the university’s action, insisting that the affected students were merely exercising their right to peaceful protest.
“My attention has been drawn to the unjust suspension of students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology following a peaceful protest,” Akinteye 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.”
The NANS president argued that Sections 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution guarantee freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association, stressing that students should not be sanctioned for exercising those rights.
“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.
Akinteye disclosed that NANS had directed its Zone D Coordinator and the Chairman of the Oyo State Joint Campus Council to intervene and engage the university authorities on the matter.
He further called on LAUTECH to immediately reverse the suspensions.
“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 stated.
The student leader also warned that failure to rescind the decision could trigger stronger actions from the association.
“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.
