In a significant reversal, Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), has reinstated four students previously suspended for allegedly planning a peaceful protest against the controversial “Third Semester” policy. The decision follows months of sustained pressure from civil society organizations, student rights groups, and public outcry over what many described as an infringement on students’ constitutional rights.
The reinstated students—Shekwogaza Godiya Sanda, Timothy Manasseh, Asan Ukeyima, and one other—had been suspended since December 9, 2024, after being accused of “criminal conspiracy” and “inciting public disturbance” for their involvement in a WhatsApp group discussing a protest against the university’s new academic policy.
The “Third Semester” initiative, which mandates students to pay additional fees for retaking failed courses, sparked widespread criticism. Students argued that the policy was exploitative, citing charges of ₦5,000 to ₦20,000 per course as burdensome and unjustified.
Rights groups such as the Education Rights Campaign (ERC) and Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) condemned the suspensions as a violation of free speech and peaceful assembly. ERC described the university’s actions as “an affront to democratic principles and academic freedom,” while CAPPA called for accountability over the students’ detention and mistreatment.