The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) is demanding the immediate and unconditional release of 52 students from Ambrose Alli University (AAU) in Ekpoma, Edo State, who were remanded in custody by a court on Monday.
The students were detained during a protest against the increase in kidnappings and the insecurity in and around Ekpoma.
In a statement signed by its national spokesperson, Adeyemi Ajasa, the NANS condemned the detention, emphasizing that the students were simply exercising their constitutional right to peaceful protest. The association called on the government to fulfill its responsibility to protect life and property.
“The National Association of Nigerian Students strongly condemns the continued detention of 52 students from Ambrose Alli University who are peacefully protesting the increase in kidnappings and the insecurity in their communities,” the statement reads.
The NANS described the detention as unacceptable and alarming, emphasizing that peaceful protest is not a crime and should not be suppressed.
“It is absurd and deeply disturbing that students who demanded safety are now subjected to psychological trauma, intimidation, and the harsh experience of detention. Peaceful protest is not a crime, and demanding safety should never be criminalized,” the organization stated.
The student union called on the Edo state government, the administration of Ambrose Alli University, and the Nigerian police to work together to ensure the safety and well-being of the detained students.
“The NANS categorically demands that the physical and mental well-being of the detained students be guaranteed at all times. We also demand their immediate and unconditional release,” the statement read.
The union warned that any attempt to delay or justify the students’ detention would be considered a deliberate act of oppression against Nigerian students.
The NANS also expressed concern that the authorities appear to be targeting students instead of addressing the growing insecurity in the region. It described this approach as counterproductive and likely to exacerbate tensions.
The union reaffirmed its solidarity with the affected students and their families and warned that it would pursue all legal avenues if the students are not released unconditionally.
Meanwhile, the resurgence of kidnappings in communities in the central Senate district of Edo state has prompted the state government to advise schools in the affected areas not to resume classes for the second term of the 2025/2026 school year.
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