I write today as someone who read law at Lagos State University through a court injunction, having been shown the way out of the university in my 200 level, only to be reinstated in my final year after a four-year legal battle. I know firsthand the paralyzing trauma of waiting for years to determine whether you would graduate or be permanently shut out from your dreams.

Since 1986, when I was just 16 years old, and Chief Gani Fawehinmi fought the case of Yesufu Amuda Garba and his friends to the Supreme Court of Nigeria, with Chief F.R.A. Williams on the other side for the University of Maiduguri, till date when I have now been an attorney for over 25 years, the Nigerian university system has largely constituted itself into a major distraction to the destiny of young people, the very individuals they are meant to educate, empower, and release to society as leaders and innovators.

But for the Nigerian courts, many destinies would have been lost, and many are still lost today because not all students have the resources or resilience to challenge their unjust expulsion in court.

Unfortunately, universities in Nigeria, private and public, have a long history of disregarding due process when disciplining students, leading to numerous judicial reversals of expulsion decisions. Below is a chronological record of landmark cases where the courts have stepped in to uphold fair hearing and procedural justice.

Landmark Cases of Overturned University Expulsions in Nigeria

1. Garba v. University of Maiduguri (1986)

Garba and his comrades had led a protest and were expelled for daring to challenge the system. The Supreme Court ruled that expelling students without a fair hearing was unconstitutional, as the university had acted as both accuser and judge.

2. Obafemi Awolowo University Expulsion Case (1988)

Yinka Odumakin and seven other student leaders were expelled from Obafemi Awolowo University for leading a peaceful protest. The Oyo State High Court quashed their expulsion and ordered their reinstatement, citing the university’s failure to provide a fair hearing.

3. University of Ilorin v. Oluwadare (2006)

The court found that the expulsion of a student without adhering to proper disciplinary procedures violated the student’s right to a fair hearing.

4. University of Ilorin v. Adesina (2014)

The Supreme Court held that while universities have the authority to set academic standards, they must observe fair hearing principles. The university’s refusal to release a student’s results without proper justification was deemed unjust.

5. Ekiti State University v. Afe Babalola University (2017)

A student accused of misconduct was expelled without a fair trial. The court reinstated him and awarded damages for the breach of his rights.

6. Oluwaseun Ogunyemi v. University of Lagos (2017)

The court condemned UNILAG’s expulsion order as “procedurally irrational”, noting that there was no documented evidence of an investigation before the student was dismissed.

7. Okeke v. Federal University of Technology, Minna (2018)

The court reinstated a student, ruling that the disciplinary panel included unauthorized personnel, rendering its decision a nullity.

8. Abdullahi Sule v. Ahmadu Bello University (2019)

A student was expelled over missing exam scripts without conclusive proof of wrongdoing. The court ruled that ABU acted ultra vires (beyond its legal authority) and reinstated him.

9. Aina v. University of Ibadan (2020)

The expulsion of a student was voided because he never received written notice of the allegations, violating his constitutional right to a fair hearing.

10. Chijioke Edeh v. University of Nigeria, Nsukka (2023)

The Court of Appeal nullified the expulsion of a student accused of examination malpractice, citing the university’s failure to provide evidence of a fair hearing.

11. Esiaga v. University of Calabar (2023)

The court held that while a Nigerian university has the authority to discipline students within its premises, it must ensure that due process and fair hearing—as enshrined in Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution—are followed.

12. Alada v. University of Ilorin (2024)

A Federal High Court nullified the expulsion of a final-year student accused of examination malpractice, citing the university’s failure to follow its own procedures and a lack of fair hearing. The court ordered the student’s reinstatement and awarded damages. (National Pilot)

A Pattern of Negligence by Nigerian Universities

These cases highlight a disturbing pattern: Nigerian universities consistently fail to follow due process in disciplinary matters, leading to avoidable legal battles and judicial reversals.

The courts have repeatedly emphasized that:

✅ Universities must provide accused students with fair hearing and procedural justice.

✅ Expulsion decisions must be based on conclusive evidence, not assumptions.

✅ Any breach of due process renders disciplinary actions unlawful and subject to reversal.

If universities continue to disregard these legal principles, the courts will remain a necessary check against their arbitrary decisions. Rather than acting as authoritarian institutions, Nigerian universities must embrace procedural justice and transparency in their disciplinary processes.

Until this happens, we must remain vigilant, ensuring that no student is denied education unjustly due to administrative recklessness.

Do have an INSPIRED week ahead with the family.