Nigerian students suspended for criticising school, inciting protest

The management of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has suspended two students for one academic session for allegedly making inciting posts on their social media handles.

The affected students are Sunday Idongesit Okpokpo of the Department of Political Science and Chibuzor Remmy of the Department of Educational Management.

According to a statement by the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Ozo-Mekuri Ndimele, both students are not to be seen on any of the three campuses of the institution unless on invitation.

The institution accused Okpokpo of creating panic and confusion when he posted on social media calling for the cancellation of the final year examination scheduled to commence on Monday November 2, 2020 as well as the matriculation veremony scheduled to hold on Saturday November 7, 2020.

It also accused Remmy of calling out students on Okpokpo’s post to protest on Wednesday November 4, 2020 against the university authority for having only one bank on campus.

The statement reads, “Mr Sunday Idongesit Okpokpo of the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, with matriculation number UE/2019/B.Ed4/4505 has been suspended for one academic session 2019/2020) with immediate effect.
 
“Mr Sunday Idongesit Okpokpo had over the weekend created panic and confusion when he posted on the social media cancelling the final year examinations scheduled to commence on Monday November 2, 2020 as well as the matriculation ceremony scheduled to hold on Saturday November 7, 2020. Only the Senate of the university has such powers.

“He is to resume studies in 2020/2021 academic session at 100 level.

“Mr Chibuzor Remmy of the Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Education, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education with matriculation number UE/2018/EDUMAT/B.Ed4/0205 has been suspended for one academic session (2019/2020) with immediate effect.

“Mr Chibuzor Remmy was found guilty of inciting students with his social media post. He had called out students on that post to protest on Wednesday, November 4, 2020 against the university authority for having only one bank on campus. He is to resume school in the 2020/2021 academic session. He is not to be seen on any of the three campuses unless on invitation.”