Nasarawa University Rusticates 37 Students Over Protest Mobilization on WhatsApp

Nasarawa University has rusticated 37 students, including four females, for one academic session over allegations of “criminal conspiracy, inciting public disturbance, and cyber-stalking.” The accusations stem from the students' creation of a WhatsApp group intended to mobilize a protest against the university’s decision to introduce a third semester.

In a letter addressed to the affected students on December 9, 2025, the university authorities justified their decision based on these allegations. However, the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has condemned the university’s action as a blatant violation of the students' constitutional rights to freedom of expression and assembly, as enshrined in Sections 39 and 40 of Nigeria’s constitution.

The MFWA argues that while regulating protests for orderliness on campus is necessary, the students were punished for an action that had not even taken place and which, by itself, does not constitute an offense. The organization describes the university’s decision as an act of autocratic intolerance, incompatible with the principles of democracy and academic freedom.