SERAP urges immediate release of 52 AAU students detained after Ekpoma protest
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the Edo State Government and security agencies to immediately release 52 students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, who were arrested during a recent protest in the university town.
The students were reportedly detained following a demonstration against alleged poor conditions on campus and other unresolved grievances. The protest, which took place in Ekpoma, led to the intervention of security operatives, resulting in the arrest of dozens of students.
In a statement on Tuesday, SERAP condemned the arrests, describing them as unlawful and a violation of the students’ fundamental human rights, including their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly as guaranteed under the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights treaties.
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SERAP warned that holding the students without charge could amount to arbitrary detention, urging authorities to either promptly charge them before a competent court or release them unconditionally.
The rights group also called on the Edo State Commissioner of Police to ensure that the students are not subjected to torture, intimidation, or inhumane treatment while in custody.
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As of the time of filing this report, the Edo State Government and the police authorities had not issued an official response to SERAP’s demands.
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