Rights group, the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) is asking the Minister of Education and the National Universities Commission (NUC) to immediately institute an independent investigation into the reported assault, torture, and degrading treatment of one Miss Divine by officials of Coal City University, Enugu.
The rights group raised the concerns following reports and video evidence showing the brutal assault, torture, and degrading treatment allegedly inflicted on Miss Divine, a 300-Level Physiotherapy student of Coal City University, Enugu, by officials of the institution.
According to a statement on Thursday by the Executive Director of the RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma, the videos and media reports depicting the violent assault of the student are deeply disturbing and raise serious questions about respect for human rights, student welfare, institutional accountability, and regulatory oversight within private universities in Nigeria.
Nwanguma insisted that no educational institution, regardless of its ownership status, possesses the authority to subject any student to physical assault, torture, degrading treatment, humiliation, or other forms of cruel and inhuman punishment.
Such conduct, he noted, violates Section 34(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), which guarantees the dignity of the human person and prohibits torture and inhuman or degrading treatment.
The RULAAC boss said such an act also violates Nigeria’s obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other international human rights instruments.
“We are particularly alarmed that instead of investigating and sanctioning those allegedly responsible for the assault, the university reportedly imposed a one-year suspension on the victim while also suspending for six months two other female students whose only apparent offence was recording and preserving evidence of the incident. Such actions send a dangerous message that victims and whistleblowers will be punished while perpetrators are protected.
“Equally disturbing are allegations that students in the Physiotherapy Department have paid substantial tuition and other mandatory fees despite being deprived of adequate teaching services due to the prolonged absence of lecturers allegedly resulting from unpaid salaries. Reports indicate that only one lecturer has been available to teach students registered for multiple courses during the semester. If established, this raises serious concerns about academic standards, student welfare, consumer protection, and regulatory compliance.
“Furthermore, allegations that students have continued to pay for transportation services that were unavailable, and that other categories of students have been compelled to pay fees for academic and clinical postings that were not provided, deserve urgent investigation by the relevant authorities,” the RULAAC revealed.
The RULAAC boss demanded that the Minister of Education and the National Universities Commission (NUC) must ensure that all individuals found responsible for the assault are held accountable in accordance with the law and applicable institutional regulations, as well as direct the immediate reversal of the one-year suspension imposed on Miss Divine, which appears punitive, retaliatory, and unjustifiable in the circumstances.
He also urged the authorities to direct the immediate lifting of the six-month suspensions imposed on the two students who recorded the incident and thereby helped preserve evidence of an alleged violation of human rights.
“RULAAC demands that authorities investigate allegations concerning unpaid lecturers, disruption of academic activities, inadequate teaching arrangements, and possible breaches of accreditation and quality assurance requirements.
“There is also the need to investigate allegations relating to fees collected from students for services that were not provided, including transportation and clinical posting arrangements, and ensure appropriate remedial measures where necessary.
“The appropriate authorities should examine reports that students and parents have been subjected to intimidation, restrictions, or attempts to suppress legitimate complaints and disclosures concerning conditions within the institution. They should also issue clear directives to all tertiary institutions, particularly private universities, reminding them that disciplinary authority does not include the power to assault, torture, humiliate, or otherwise violate the fundamental rights of students.
“We also advocate the strengthening of monitoring and accountability mechanisms to ensure that students across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions are protected from abuse, exploitation, and arbitrary disciplinary measures.
“Educational institutions exist to nurture learning, character, and human development. They must not become environments where students are subjected to violence, intimidation, or reprisals for exercising their rights or exposing wrongdoing,” he said.
Nwanguma maintained that the RULAAC stands in solidarity with Miss Divine and all students whose rights may have been violated, urging the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission, relevant law enforcement agencies, and human rights institutions to act swiftly and decisively to ensure justice, accountability, and protection of students’ rights.
