A prominent civil society organisation has raised a strong alarm over what it calls the increasing tendency to treat student demonstrations as criminal acts in Nigeria. This warning follows the detention and later release of 52 students from Ambrose Alli University (AAU) in Ekpoma, Edo State.
Arrests Follow Protest Over Security Failures
The incident stemmed from a protest organised by residents and students of Ekpoma. They were demonstrating against persistent cases of kidnapping, killings, and other security threats plaguing the university and its surrounding community. While the protest was later reported to have been hijacked, leading to violence, looting, and vandalism of the palace of the Onojie of Ekpoma, the civil rights group argues the security response was disproportionate.
In a statement issued by its Senior Legal Analyst, Sylvester Agih, the organisation, Citizens' Gavel, detailed troubling circumstances. They stated that many of the arrested students were not apprehended during the protest or at the scene of the vandalism. Instead, security operatives picked them up from their hostels in the early hours of the morning, with some arrests occurring as late as 3 a.m.
A Case of Collective Punishment and Rights Violations
Citizens' Gavel emphasised that some of those detained did not even participate in the demonstration. The group condemned the action, stating that mere suspicion of involvement in civil unrest cannot justify such widespread arrests. They labelled the police operation a form of collective punishment and a gross misplacement of priorities.
"It is a clear injustice that students calling for an end to robbery, kidnapping, and banditry at their university community were not arrested at the protest or at the scene of alleged vandalism, but instead taken from their hostels at night like hardened criminals," the group declared.
The statement further criticised the security agencies for their sudden hyper-vigilance in suppressing dissent while banditry and theft have flourished for months in the area with few significant arrests.
Constitutional Rights Must Be Upheld
The organisation reminded the Edo State Government and security forces of the constitutional protections afforded to citizens. It cited Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guarantees the right to peaceful assembly and protest. It also referenced Section 35(2), which mandates that any arrested person be promptly informed of the reasons for their arrest and be allowed access to a legal practitioner.
Reports that the students were denied these fundamental rights, according to Citizens' Gavel, render the entire mass arrest operation a breach of fairness and legality. While acknowledging the seriousness of the vandalism that occurred, the group expressed wariness of the common "hijacked protest" narrative often used to justify state repression.
"Citizens’ Gavel unequivocally stands for justice, democracy, and accountability. We will not look the other way while bona fide citizens are met with brutish force for lending their voices to systemic issues, or while legitimate dissent is criminalised," the statement concluded, urging the judiciary to remain the hope of the common man.
