Protest: CSOs kick as Rivers varsity suspends students

Civil society organisations in Rivers State have kicked against the suspension of two students of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education over their alleged attempts to instigate protests within the university campus.

The CSOs, while condemning the one academic session suspension of the students, said the sanction was devoid of due process and amounted to a violation of the students’ right to freedom of expression.

The CSOs made their declaration in a statement, titled, ‘Call for immediate reversal of the suspension of two students by the management of IAUE over Facebook comments’.

The statement was co-signed by Prince Wiro and Festus Bonwin for the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign; Karl Uchegbu for Civil Liberties Organisation; and Gbenga Oladapo for Lawyers Watch for Justice International Initiative.

Others are Dandyson Dandyson for the Centre for Human Rights Health Ethnic Harmony and Livelihood Development; and Emem Okon for Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre.

The statement read in part, “We note with dismay the suspension of two students of 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 man hours occasioned by the delay students have to endure when making transactions, especially payment of school levies and fees which result in large queues in the only bank present in the school. Punch