Fee hike protest: Senate orders UNIABUJA to reinstate expelled two final year students

THE Senate has ordered the management of the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) to reinstate, with immediate effect, the two final year students of the institution, Messers Cyprian Igwe and Olamilekan Oladeru, who were expelled last year by the university authorities for allegedly inciting fellow students to protest the proposed hike in tuition fee in the institution.

The duo were students’ leaders and just finished their final year examinations and awaiting results when they were expelled from the university for the alleged offence.

Igwe was a director of Social and Culture of the university’s Students’ Union Government (SUG) while Oladeru was a director of Sports, also of the SUG and were both in high academic grades.

Dissatisfied with their expulsion which they described as gross injustice, they petitioned the Upper Chamber through Victor Umeh, a senator representing Anambra Central District, asking the lawmakers to intervene on the matter and prevail on the university authorities to reinstate them, in order not to punish for an offence they did not commit.

When Igwe was asked recently for an update regarding the petition with the Senate, he told Nigerian Tribune that the Senate had directed the management of UNIABUJA after listening to both sides to reinstate, graduate and mobilise him for the one-year-mandatory National Youth service Corps (NYSC) programme.

He said their classmates, who had no issue with the university authorities and also had no carryover in their academic performance had graduated and mobilised for NYSC.

He recalled that his case was referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions to handle.

He said the committee had invited him and the school management to appear before it for hearing.

“After we both appeared, the committee recommended that I should be reinstated immediately and moblised for NYSC,” he said.

Igwe said he “believes that the school would honour the Senate’s directive” while he would write an “apology” letter to the school as equally directed by the Senate.

Igwe is now awaiting his call-up letter for the NYSC programme while he commended the Senate for the intervention.

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