The Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED) is deeply alarmed by reports that an Edo State court has ordered the remand of 52 students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU) following a peaceful protest against the escalating cases of kidnapping and insecurity plaguing the university community.
The students’ protest was a legitimate and urgent call for protection. For months, students and residents around Ambrose Alli University have repeatedly raised concerns over abductions and other security threats.
Their demonstration sought to draw attention to these dangers and to demand decisive action from authorities responsible for safeguarding lives.
Instead of engaging with the students’ concerns or deploying meaningful security measures, the response has been the arrest and remand of dozens of young people exercising their constitutional rights to peaceful assembly and free expression.
CHRICED considers this development a disturbing attempt to criminalise civic participation and a disproportionate use of state power against unarmed citizens.
By detaining students who protested insecurity, authorities risk punishing victims rather than confronting the root causes of kidnapping and violence in the area.
Such actions undermine constitutionally guaranteed freedoms, weaken public trust in democratic institutions, and raise fears that the judicial process is being weaponised to intimidate rather than deliver justice.
This decision also sets a dangerous precedent for student activism and youth engagement in governance, signalling that peaceful protest may be met with detention instead of dialogue.
Beyond the legal implications, the remand of these students carries serious psychological, academic, and social consequences.
Their education and wellbeing are being disrupted, while the perpetrators of kidnapping continue to evade timely and effective accountability. This disparity raises troubling questions about selective justice and misplaced priorities.
A democratic society thrives on open dialogue, accountability, and respect for fundamental rights. Treating peaceful protest as a threat to public order risks normalising repression, deepening mistrust between young people and state institutions, and escalating tensions rather than fostering stability.
Addressing insecurity requires listening to citizens, especially students whose lives are directly at risk—not silencing them.
CHRICED therefore calls for:
1. Immediate review of the remand order and full respect for the rights of the affected students.
2. Prioritisation of dialogue, mediation, and non-violent conflict resolution between authorities and the student body.
3. Urgent, transparent, and effective security interventions to curb kidnapping and protect lives around Ambrose Alli University.
4. Judicial and law enforcement institutions to uphold constitutional freedoms and ensure proportionality in their response to civic actions.
5. Government at all levels to meaningfully engage youth voices on issues of insecurity and governance rather than suppress them.
CHRICED further urges the media, civil society organisations, student unions, legal practitioners, faith-based groups, and other stakeholders to closely monitor this case, amplify the voices of the affected students, and demand accountability from the relevant authorities.
CHRICED remains steadfast in its commitment to defending human rights, promoting civic participation, and advancing accountability.
We will continue to stand with citizens who peacefully demand safety, justice, and good governance.
