A Nigerian civil society organisation, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has raised serious concerns over the arrest and detention of 52 students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, following protests against rising kidnappings and insecurity in Edo State.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, The national Cordinator of HURIWA Comrade Emmanuel Nwadozie Onwubiko urged the Edo State Government, led by Governor Monday Okpebholo, to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of the students, whom it described as prisoners of conscience detained for exercising their right to peaceful assembly.
According to the organisation, the students were arrested during coordinated night-time raids on university hostels in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area.
HURIWA alleges that many of those detained were taken from their residences while asleep and were not arrested at the protest venue itself.
Students who spoke to local media said police officers entered multiple hostels late at night, arrested students indiscriminately, and later charged them in court with offences including robbery and destruction of public property. The police are reportedly seeking a 14-day remand order.
HURIWA described the arrests and proposed detention as arbitrary and disproportionate, arguing that they violate Nigeria’s constitutional guarantees and international human-rights obligations.
“Peaceful protest is not a criminal offence under Nigerian law or international human-rights standards,” the organisation stated, citing Section 40 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, which guarantees freedom of assembly, as well as Article 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, to which Nigeria is a state party.
The group also expressed concern over reports that journalists were prevented from covering the students’ court appearance, calling it a violation of press freedom and transparency obligations under Nigerian law and international standards.
HURIWA warned that the continued detention of the students risks further eroding public trust in law-enforcement institutions and escalating tensions in a region already affected by insecurity.
Drawing parallels with past protest crackdowns in Nigeria, including the 2020 #EndSARS demonstrations, the organisation said the incident reflects a broader pattern of criminalising civic dissent rather than addressing the root causes of public grievances.
The rights group called on Nigerian authorities to prioritise dialogue, due process, and accountability, and urged the Federal Government and the Inspector-General of Police to intervene if state authorities fail to act.
HURIWA concluded by urging international human-rights bodies, diplomatic missions, and civil society partners to monitor the situation closely, stressing that the protection of student activists and peaceful protesters is essential to democratic governance and the rule of law.
HURIWA Condemns Detention of 52 University Students After Anti-Kidnapping Protest
