Seven students expelled by the Federal University Dutse (FUD), Jigawa State, have served the institution a pre-action notice, demanding their immediate reinstatement and N200 million in damages. The notice, issued on 15 October, was signed by their counsel, Garba Umaru. The students are Emmanuel Anenechukwu, Mubarak Usman, Divine Inuwa, Yusuf Lawal, Ismail Idris, Ayomide Kayode, and Miracle Kayode.
According to official correspondence dated 8 September, the university expelled the students after a police report indicted them and they were subsequently arraigned before Chief Magistrate Courts II and III in Dutse for alleged criminal conspiracy and armed robbery. In the letter addressed to the the university’s vice-chancellor, Ahmad Gumel, the counsel described their expulsion as hasty, uninformed, and a breach of the Nigerian constitution.
Mr Umaru said the police report relied upon by the university is merely investigative and that no competent court has convicted the students of any crime. Mr Umaru said the university’s disciplinary committee did not invite or afford the students an opportunity to defend themselves before reaching a “guilty verdict” and recommending their expulsion under Section 31 of the student handbook.
The lawyer noted that the charges against the students in court differ from the armed robbery allegations cited by the university. He further pointed out that chief magistrate courts lack jurisdiction to try capital offences such as armed robbery.
The lawyer decried the publication of the students’ names, photographs, and academic records across various news and online platforms, stating that depicting them as “petty criminals” has inflicted severe psychological trauma and irreparable damage on their reputations and family standing. The solicitor gave the university management two weeks to unconditionally reverse the expulsion and reinstate the students with full access to university facilities, student privileges, and the return of their ID cards.