‘Reverse ban, cancellation of planned students protests’

The Global Pan-Africanism Network, North-East Regional Chapter, on Sunday, advised the Vice-Chancellor of Modibbo Adama University, Yola, Adamawa State, to immediately rescind what it described as an “unconstitutional ban” on a planned students’ protest at the institution.

The organisation also demanded the withdrawal of letters of apology obtained from students, just as it also called for an end to what it described as intimidation and repression of students exercising their rights.

The demands were contained in a letter obtained by Arewa PUNCH, addressed to the Vice-Chancellor of the university and signed by the GPAN North-East Regional Secretary on behalf of the Regional Coordinator and the National Director of Security and Intelligence, Nigerian Chapter.

The organisation stated that its position followed its review of circulars issued by the university’s Student Affairs Division and the Office of the Registrar concerning the planned protest.

The GPAN letter read in part, “On September 12, 2026, three executive staff members of our organisation observed several letters published across various digital platforms regarding a planned protest by students of your institution.”

It stated that it also reviewed the subsequent letters allegedly written by some students, including letters containing formal apologies to the university authorities.

According to the organisation, the directives contained in the university’s communications amounted to violations of Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, Article 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

“Upon reviewing the correspondence issued by both the Student Affairs Division and the Office of the Registrar, we identified severe breaches of Section 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Article 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and Article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” the letter further stated.

GPAN, therefore, advised the university management to urgently direct the relevant authorities to lift the ban and reverse the cancellation of the planned protest.

It also demanded that the university publicly apologise to the students and direct its legal advisers to issue a statement withdrawing and correcting what it described as the “legally flawed” communications from the Registrar’s Office and Student Affairs Division.

The organisation further urged the university to “cease and desist” from using security agencies, including the police, Department of State Services, Civil Defence Corps and the Nigerian Army, to arrest, detain or oppress students involved in protests.

It also called on the university to guarantee that students would not be subjected to repression or restrictions for expressing grievances.

GPAN demanded an end to what it described as surveillance of protest organisers, saying no authority should monitor their activities, movements or academic pursuits because of their involvement in the planned demonstration.

The students’ body equally called on the Dean of Student Affairs to establish a dialogue forum and invite student leaders to a consultative meeting to hear and address their grievances.

It urged the university to stop the collection or enforcement of letters of apology from students, arguing that “exercising a fundamental human right does not constitute a criminal offence or a violation of Nigerian law.”

• Ex-Adamawa speaker dumps APC for APM with supporters
• Terrorist surrenders in Borno as soldiers arrest six kidnappers in Adamawa
• Ex-PDP chair Tukur buried, Obasanjo, Dangote, Fintiri pay tributes

GPAN further requested that the university hold a press briefing to condemn the restrictive directives contained in the Registrar’s circular and the final paragraph of the Student Affairs letter.

It said representatives of the National Human Rights Commission, the GPAN North-East Regional Office and other civil society organisations should be invited to any meeting convened to resolve the dispute.

The organisation also called for the university’s legal department to review its advisory framework to ensure that future institutional directives complied with constitutional provisions.

On the suspension of some students, GPAN observed that while the indefinite suspension issued to Friday Yakubu, Abuh Shederach and others had been withdrawn by the Registrar on September 11, 2026, it, however, demanded that the Registrar publicly declare that the suspension and its subsequent withdrawal constituted repressive measures intended to intimidate the affected students.

“Therefore, the GPAN North-East Regional Chapter and its executive staff have decided to compel your office to urgently direct the Registrar of your institution to publicly declare that the initial indefinite suspension, and its subsequent withdrawal, were repressive measures used by your office to intimidate the affected students,” the letter stated.

GPAN also challenged the university authorities over an alleged requirement that protest organisers obtain permission from the institution or security agencies before embarking on a protest.

The organisation said, “It was highly erroneous for the office of the Registrar of your respective institution to ignorantly state that protest organisers must apply for or seek permission from the institution or security agencies before protesting.”

It challenged the Registrar’s Office to publicly identify the specific provisions of the Nigerian Constitution requiring protest organisers to obtain permission before holding a protest.

“Citizens do not require police permission or university authorisation to protest; they only need to request for security from security agency like the police to ensure protection,” GPAN stated.

Rather, it clarified that the Nigeria Police had a legal obligation to provide adequate security and protect citizens during protests.

Thus, the organisation warned that failure by the university to respond to its demands could lead it to pursue legal action.

“Failure to do so will leave the GPAN North-East Regional Chapter and its executive staff with no choice but to take lawful legal action against the aforementioned office for a contemptuous act,” the letter declarēd.

GPAN also said it could resort to what it described as lawful activism if the university failed to address its concerns.

“Take notice, sir, that in a course of refusal to consider the aforementioned positive obligations within the shortest time from the date of your receipt of this letter, GPAN North-East Regional Chapter and its staff executives shall be obligated to take lawful and necessary steps to impel your office to do so in harmony with the law,” the organisation stated.

The group said it had enclosed copies of the Registrar’s circular, the Student Affairs Division’s letter, letters of apology allegedly written by three students and the letter withdrawing the students’ suspension for the Vice-Chancellor’s review and records.