By Femi Ipaye
The recent closure of the Institute of Part-Time Studies (IPTS) at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) is a disturbing assault on students’ rights and academic access.
On February 19, 2026, the university, through the Director of IPTS, Prof. Adelani Tijani, abruptly shut down the institute and ordered all part-time students to vacate the campuses immediately. According to the students, this action was a preemptive move to crush a planned peaceful protest against the compulsory imposition of a ₦20,000 Wi-Fi levy.
This development is deeply troubling. It represents a blatant attempt to silence dissent and stifle students’ freedom of expression and association. The proscription of student union activities alongside the shutdown further compounds the issue. It is ironic and hypocritical that some of those now occupying positions of authority once benefited from the very student activism they are now denying to others.
The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, has a duty to act. We urge him to immediately direct an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the IPTS closure and the suppression of student unionism at FUOYE.
Such intervention is essential to protect students’ constitutional rights, ensure that university management operates within the bounds of fairness and the law, and prevent further escalation that could disrupt academic activities.
The Minister, Dr. Tunji Alausa, must treat this matter with the urgency it deserves. Nigerian students cannot be denied their voices in their own institutions.
Femi Ipaye is a photojournalist, human rights activist, and newspaper administrator.
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