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ERC condemns the arrest and detention of two members

October 18, 2009

We wish to use this medium to inform the public about the arrest of two members of the Education Rights Campaign (ERC) today Monday 19 October 2009 by the security apparatus of the Adeyemi College of Education (ACE) Ondo. The names of the arrested students are Lawal Rafiu and Sofowora Tobi. They were arrested while pasting posters printed by the Education Rights Campaign (ERC) to call for the reinstatement of 4 victimized students of Adeyemi College of Education. As we write, the two activists have been transferred to the police are now being detained at Fagun Police Station, Ondo town, Ondo State.


The background to their arrest was the suspension of 5 union leaders (Osanyintade Tolulope, Tairu Jeleel, Aremo Gbenga and Adewetan Vincent) early in the year by the management of the College for defending the interests of students. Subsequently, the Students’ Union of the College was also banned. The Education Rights Campaign (ERC) together with many other student organizations and right groups has been campaigning for their reinstatement and restoration of the Union since then. Countless letters have been written to the College management and the Ondo state Government without any response whatsoever. Instead the management continued to insist the suspended union leaders will not be recalled.
Faced with this belligerent attitude of the management, the ERC resolved to commence awareness activities in other to popularize the case of the victimized activists among students and the general public. The aim of awareness activities was to put pressure on the management to consider our pleas. It was during one of such awareness activities on Monday 19 October 2009 that the two ERC members were arrested.

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We call on the Ondo State Commissioner of Police to immediately and unconditionally release the detained activists. This is because there is no law in Nigeria that makes the activities for which the two activists were arrested, which is pasting of posters campaigning for the recall of victimized union leaders, a crime. Every Nigerian citizen including students has right to freedom of expression and association as guaranteed by relevant sections of the 1999 constitution. Arresting the two activists while exercising their rights as enshrined in the constitution is illegal, condemnable and unacceptable.

We also call on the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC), Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO), Staff Unions, trade unions, civil society organizations and well meaning Nigerians to condemn this arrest and illegal detention of ERC activists fighting for reinstatement of victimized union leaders and restoration of banned union in Adeyemi College of Education (ACE).

We in the ERC are not deterred by this arrest. We cannot be quiet while the students and youths are being stripped of their democratic rights. We will therefore continue with our activities to ensure the immediate reinstatement of all the suspended union leaders and restoration of the banned union. The Management of Adeyemi College of Education (ACE) Ondo has only one choice, which is to respect students’ rights.
 
 
__________________________                     _____________________________
Hassan Taiwo Soweto                                    Chinedu Bosah
National Coordinator                                       National Secretary
070336997259.                                                07033775517.

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