Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt
The suspensions of two students by the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE) have been lifted following the outrage that greeted the action.
Mr. Chibuzor Remmy of the Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Education was suspended after the school indicted him of inciting students through his social media account to protest against the university’s authority for having only one bank on campus.
Mr. Sunday Idonegit of the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, was also accused of creating panic and confusion through a post he made on social media calling for the cancellation of the final year examination of the institution scheduled for November 2, 2020, and the school’s matriculation of November 7, 2020.
No sooner had the school announced the suspension than Civil Society Organisations in Rivers kicked against it and demanded the immediate reversal of the decision.
The CSOs insisted that the students’ sanction was devoid of due process and amounted to a violation of the students’ right to freedom of expression.
The organisation in a statement co-signed by Prince Wiro and Festus Bonwin, Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign (CBRPA); Karl Uchegbu, Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) and Gbenga Oladapo, Lawyers Watch for Justice International Initiative (LWJII), among others described the university’s decision as a rash.
They said: “We note with dismay the suspension of two students of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rivers State by the management of the institution over Facebook comments in reaction to a press release by the Vice-Chancellor Prof Ozo-Mekuri Ndimele.
“After a meticulous study of the comments made by the suspended students, Remmy Chibuzor and Sunday Idongesit, on the press release of the VC, we state clearly that the comments of the students are not in any way inciting as alleged by the school authority to justify the undeserved suspension.
“The students merely expressed their views on the need for the management to bring in more banks inside the school campus to ease the stress and loss of manhours occasioned by the delay students have to endure when making transactions, especially payment of school levies and fees which result to large queues in the only bank present in the school.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that the affected students were not referred to any disciplinary committee but were summarily tried by a group consisting of three top management staff of the institution which negates the principle of fair hearing.
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“In the light of the above, we demand an immediate reversal of the suspension of the two students as the suspension is lacking in merit, devoid of due process, and amounts to a violation of the right of freedom of expression by the students.”
Following the reactions against its decision, the management of the school on Thursday lifted the suspension in a statement signed by the University’s Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Okiridu.
The school, however, warned its students to be of best behaviour adding that any student bringing the university to ridicule would be punished in line with the laws.
The statement said: “Based on appeals from well-meaning individuals, the Management of Ignatius Ajuru University, on behalf of Senate, hereby lifts the suspension order on the two students: Mr. Chibuzor Remmy and Mr. Sunday Idonegit, who published materials on the social media capable of causing public disorder.
“In like manner, the two male students caught in the female hostel are hereby forgiven. The Management, however, warns that henceforth, any student who does anything capable of bringing the University to public ridicule will be disciplined according to the rules and regulations of the University.”
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