Court Dismisses UNN Law Student’s Case Against Faculty: The Enugu High Court has dismissed a case filed by a 300-level law student of the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC), who dragged the Faculty of Law to court over an examination malpractice summons. The student, Chidi Akabogu, was also ordered to pay N300,000 as legal costs to the faculty.
What Happened
Akabogu went to court after receiving a message from the Faculty of Law Examination Malpractice Committee, asking him to appear before it. Instead of honouring the invitation, he challenged the summons in court, claiming that the committee had already prejudged him guilty before hearing his side of the story.
He argued that the unsigned WhatsApp message he received, which listed his name among eleven students invited, violated his constitutional right to fair hearing under Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution. The notice also carried a warning that failure to attend could delay his graduation, which he interpreted as a declaration of guilt.
Court’s Decision
The committee, represented by Dr. Clara Obi-Ochiabutor (Chairman) and Prof. Festus O. Ukwueze (Dean of Law), denied his claims and described the suit as premature.
Justice Kenneth Okpe, in his ruling, agreed with the faculty. The judge stated that since no hearing had yet taken place, Akabogu’s right to fair hearing had not been violated. He also explained that the WhatsApp notice applied to multiple students and was not directed solely at him.
The court further stressed that universities have the authority to discipline students within their premises, and such actions do not automatically amount to an infringement of fundamental rights.
Outcome
All the reliefs sought by Akabogu were dismissed. The judge ruled:
“Accordingly, the reliefs in this application are hereby refused and the suit dismissed with cost of N300,000 against the Applicant in favour of the Respondents.”
Akabogu was represented by Chidiebere Lucky Obodo, while the faculty was represented by D. A. Aneke.
Can you really sue Ur faculty or university?
Yes, you can sue your faculty or university, but it’s not always straightforward.
Universities are legal entities, which means students can take them to court if their fundamental rights (like fair hearing, freedom from discrimination, or unlawful expulsion) are violated. However, most issues like exam malpractice, disciplinary cases, or internal disputes are first handled by the university’s own committees before a court will even listen.
Courts usually step in only when the university acts outside its powers or denies a student their constitutional rights. Otherwise, judges often dismiss such cases as “premature,” just like in this UNEC law student’s case.
In short: Yes, you can sue, but you must have strong legal grounds, simply disagreeing with your faculty’s decision isn’t enough.
Source: Campusinformant, Vanguard
