The Ivory Coast government has banned all student union activities following the murders of two students, Khalifa Diomandé and Zigui Mars Aubin Déagoué.
The National Security Council (CNS) announced the ban on Thursday after a meeting led by President Alassane Ouattara, in response to a recommendation from the minister of higher education.
The government stated that the “dissolution of all student union bodies established in the 1990s” aims to reduce violence on university campuses and in schools.
Some members of the Student and School Federation of Côte d’Ivoire (FESCI), believed to be connected to the killings in August and September 2024, have been arrested.
In addition to launching a judicial investigation, the government has evicted individuals living illegally on university campuses, resulting in the arrest of 17 students, including the general secretary of FESCI.
Approximately 5,000 people living unlawfully in university towns such as Abidjan, Bouaké, and Daloa have also been removed. Over 100 machetes and grenades were seized, along with the destruction of illegal businesses during the enforcement operations.
The CNS expressed satisfaction with the results of these operations, stating they have restored “the necessary calm for the smooth running of academic activities.” The government has pledged to “maintain and vigorously pursue” sanitation measures on university campuses to eliminate illegal activities.
Investigators at Félix Houphouët-Boigny University in Abidjan uncovered a brothel and a torture tunnel allegedly operated by FESCI. Students, fearing repercussions, reported that these locations were well-known to them but chose not to speak out.
A former student, who wished to remain anonymous, recounted her traumatic experiences, stating, “You wouldn’t believe you were in a university in an organized country. I was threatened by FESCI many times; they tried to rape me.” She shared that she has not returned to campus since dropping out eight years ago due to her ordeal.
Reflecting on her past, she said she had occasionally paid FESCI members to leave her alone.
FESCI, historically an anti-government protest group, has faced allegations of involvement in organized crime, with some members also engaging in politics.
