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Unlawful Detention: Madonna '7' Regains Freedom After Take It Back Movement Campaigns

"This victory is yet again a confirmation of the immense power inherent in our collective resistance against all and every form of impunity and oppression, whether from the University walls or by state and its despotic machinations."

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The Take It Back Movement has commended Nigerians for speaking up against the injustice metted out upon seven Madonna University students illegally detained by the institution over comments posted on social media over of poor welfare of staff and students of the university.

In a statement signed by Sanyaolu Juwon, the TakeItBack Movement Campus Unit National Coordinator on Thursday in Lagos said, "The TakeitBack seizes this medium to appreciate the Nigerian people and the social media community for the passion driven revolutionary commitment, displayed towards the struggle to free the unjustly detained Madonna 7.

"This victory is yet again a confirmation of the immense power inherent in our collective resistance against all and every form of impunity and oppression, whether from the University walls or by state and its despotic machinations.

"It should be recalled that the Chijioke; the University’s best graduating student, and six others were unjustly arrested and incarcerated since February over comments bordering on poor welfare condition of Students and Staffs of the institution.

"This obviously did not go down well with a University accustomed to draconic and Jackboot administrative practices. By colluding with several and willing state apparatus, the students were arrested, tortured, detained and subsequently incarcerated for close to five months now.

"Several informal pleas were made to the University and the un-fatherly Reverend Father Edeh who leads the University as though leading a slave camp. Like the Biblical pharaoh whose highhandedness was his road into the abyss of doom, so was the character of the tyrannical catholic priest.

"It took relentless agitations, protest letters and Press Statement of the Takeitback Movement and their partners, Online and Offline agitations of the Students’ Movement and the organized social media community to humble the pride of this Nebuchadnezzar, who Lords his draconic will over innocent students and Staffs of Madonna University.

"Without getting carried away, lest our victory becomes pyrrhic, we would like to inform that it is not yet uhuru. We must proceed from here to get justice for the irreparable physical and psychological damages done to these patriotic Nigerians. We must also press ahead to seek end to the undemocratic management of the University and call for the establishment of a democratically elected Students and Staff Unions on the campus; this will no doubt help check excesses of irresponsible management.

"We also demand that government adequately funds our public institution as this would forestall the thrive of irresponsible and un-academic Private Universities who are only out to exploit the working, toiling and poor Nigerian masses.

"To achieve this next phase of justice, we call on lovers of justice to come on board, as it is, this is now a ‘Nigeria people vs Madonna University’ case. We will be sure to communicate you every step of the way."