By: Sunday Ameh
A legal practitioner, Tope Temokun Esq., has issued an urgent demand to Madonna University, Nigeria, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of a 20-year-old student, Miss Olowofela Abidemi Oluwabukola, over what he described as unlawful restraint and violation of her fundamental rights.
In a letter dated February 27, 2026, addressed to the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Temokun, acting on behalf of Mrs. Olowofela Fisayo — the student’s mother — alleged that the university unlawfully prevented the undergraduate from leaving its campus following her voluntary withdrawal from the school.
According to the legal counsel, Miss Olowofela, an optometry student who reportedly scored 310 in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and recorded five distinctions in her SSCE examinations, was initially admitted into the Department of Optometric Medicine before being transferred to Medicine and Surgery after attaining a 5.0 cumulative grade point average (CGPA).
The lawyer stated that tuition fees for the new programme increased to ₦3.5 million per academic session, a financial obligation the family allegedly struggled to meet following the sudden illness of the student’s father.
Despite making part payment and appealing for leniency, the university allegedly barred the student from sitting for four examination papers due to outstanding fees. The institution was further accused of indicating plans to reassign her to another science programme while still demanding payment of the outstanding tuition balance.
Dissatisfied with the development, the student’s mother reportedly directed her daughter to withdraw from the institution. The withdrawal letter was said to have been formally submitted on February 24, 2026.
However, Temokun alleged that university officials refused to allow the student leave the campus after the withdrawal, making her exit conditional upon payment of outstanding fees.
The lawyer further claimed that the student’s name was publicly displayed in a manner intended to humiliate her, while she was allegedly isolated within the hostel and excluded from academic activities.
He added that repeated efforts by the family to secure her release through the university’s management yielded no positive response.
The legal team also raised concerns about the student’s emotional condition, alleging that she had suffered severe psychological distress as a result of the situation.
Citing Sections 34, 35, and 41 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the lawyer argued that preventing an adult citizen from freely leaving an institution constitutes unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, and a violation of the rights to dignity, personal liberty, and freedom of movement.
Temokun maintained that unpaid tuition fees remain a civil matter recoverable through lawful legal processes and cannot justify confinement or restriction of movement.
The chambers consequently issued a 12-hour ultimatum demanding the student’s immediate release, cessation of all alleged acts of intimidation, and written confirmation guaranteeing her freedom.
According to information gathered by Starnews NG, the letter also warned that failure to comply would result in legal action, including enforcement of fundamental rights proceedings and claims for general, aggravated, and exemplary damages against the institution.
Copies of the petition were also forwarded to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), and the university’s registrar.
As of the time of filing this report, Madonna University had not issued an official response to the allegations.
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