More than 200 second-year law students at the University of Calabar have filed a N5 billion lawsuit challenging their removal from the law faculty [1], [2].
The legal action highlights a growing conflict over academic placements and administrative authority within Nigerian higher education. The outcome could set a precedent for how universities manage student transfers and departmental admissions.
The plaintiffs, consisting of 214 students [1], filed the suit in the Federal High Court in Abuja this month [2]. They are challenging a university directive that required them to return to the departments they were originally admitted into [1], [2]. The students said this directive was unlawful and caused them significant damages [1].
The students are seeking N5 billion in damages [1]. The lawsuit names the University of Calabar, its Vice-Chancellor, and its Registrar as defendants [1]. Some reports indicate that President Bola Tinubu is also named as a defendant in the filing [2].
The controversy began in August 2026 when the university administration moved to revert the students' academic status [2]. The students said their removal from the Law faculty disrupts their education and violates their rights.
The University of Calabar is located in Cross River State, while the legal proceedings are taking place in the capital, Abuja [2]. The court will determine whether the university exceeded its administrative powers in ordering the students to leave the law program.
“214 second-year Law students filed a N5 billion suit in the Federal High Court”
This case centers on the tension between university administrative discretion and the legal rights of students who have already progressed into a new degree program. If the court rules in favor of the students, it may limit the ability of Nigerian universities to retroactively change student placements, potentially forcing institutions to standardize their internal transfer and admission processes to avoid massive financial liabilities.
