SAR’s Academic Freedom Monitoring Project investigates and reports attacks on higher education with the aim of raising awareness, generating advocacy, and increasing protection for scholars, students, and academic communities. Learn more.

Date of Incident: March 21, 2022

Attack Types: Killings, Violence, Disappearances

Institution(s):Obafemi Awolowo University

Region & Country:Western Africa | Nigeria

New or Ongoing:New Incident

On March 21, 2022, members of the Ife community stormed Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) and reportedly assaulted security guards and students while protesting the appointment of a non-native as Vice-Chancellor of the university.

Members of the Ife community blocked the university gates, preventing members of the OAU community from entering or leaving the campus, and beat students.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about protesters engaging in physical violence on a university campus. While civilians have rights to freedom of expression and assembly, they also have a responsibility to exercise those rights peacefully and responsibly, refraining from violence. In addition to endangering members of the higher education community, violent and destructive acts on campus undermine academic freedom and university autonomy.

Sources:
https://punchng.com/vc-appointment-protesting-ife-indigenes-carry-rituals-to-campus/
https://punchng.com/oau-vc-ife-indigenes-resume-protest/
https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/tori-60844701
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/519339-oau-inside-controversy-trailing-vice-chancellors-appointment.html
https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2022/03/22/ife-indigenes-invades-oau-campus-with-charms-fetish-objects/
https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria/ile-ife-indigenes-resume-protest-over-oau-vcs-appointment/