Activists on Wednesday took to the streets of Lagos to pressure the Lagos State government to reinstate five dismissed lecturers of the Lagos State University (LASU), a case that has remained unresolved since 2019.
The protesters moved from the Ikeja Under Bridge to the Lagos State House of Assembly, where they submitted a petition calling for the recall of the lecturers, known as the “LASU Five.”
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They carried placards with inscriptions such as “The unjust dismissal of ASUU-LASU 5 is academic terrorism. Let scholars breathe!!!” and “Sanwo-Olu — intimidation is not leadership. Recall LASU 5 now.”
Speaking with journalists on Wednesday, Abudu Olumayowa, who led the protesters, said the Lagos State government must “respect human rights” by reinstating the lecturers, adding that the march coincided with International Human Rights Day.
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“Violations of fundamental human rights must stop. We are here for one of our agitations since 2019. We are calling for the reinstatement of the LASU Five,” he said.
Separate protest seeks release of detained activists
A separate demonstration under the umbrella of #EndBadGovernance Movement was also held on Wednesday, calling for the release of detained activists.
In a letter addressed to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, and signed by Hassan Taiwo Soweto and Oloye Adegboyega-Adeniji, the group warned of a “worsening decline” in human rights protections across Nigeria.
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The group cited new data from the Human Rights Measurement Initiative (HRMI), which rated Nigeria 3.2 out of 10 in protection from state violence, with indicators on health, housing, food, work, water and sanitation also falling in the “very bad” range.
The letter listed several cases of alleged human rights violations, including arrests of journalists, detention of minors during protests, clampdowns on labour leaders, and killings recorded during the 2024 #EndBadGovernance protests.
The group called on the federal government to drop treason charges against 11 detained protesters, halt persecution of human rights defenders and journalists, compensate victims of house demolitions in Lagos, and curb abuses by security agencies in the state.
Background to the LASU five case
The lecturers, Isaac Oyewumi (ASUU chairperson), Adebowale Adeyemi-Suenu (vice-chairperson), Anthony Dansu (secretary), Adeolu Oluwaseyi Oyekan (assistant secretary), and Oluwakemi Aboderin-Shonibare (treasurer), were dismissed during the university governing council’s 122nd meeting on 12 September 2019.
They were accused of unauthorised removal and dissemination of confidential documents.
An appeal committee chaired by then Deputy Vice-Chancellor Adenike Boyo cleared them in February 2022 and recommended their reinstatement, which the governing council approved, but reversed 48 hours later.
In November, the Concerned Sons and Daughters of Ikoga-Zebbe, Badagry, wrote to the governing council chairman, Babatunde Ogala, insisting that the lecturers were “wrongfully dismissed” and should be reinstated.
The group said the immediate past governing council reaffirmed their reinstatement on 3 July but alleged that the university has failed to implement the decision.
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“We understand the decision to mean a clear directive to finalise the discussions with them with a view to making a binding agreement between the two parties,” the group said. “Sadly, about five months after this decision, we have yet to see any positive results.”
They demanded the unconditional reinstatement of the lecturers, payment of accrued benefits, and restoration of seniority.
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