In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Senator called for the immediate release of the detained students, insisting that protest and civic engagement must never be criminalised in a democratic society.
The Kogi Central senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has condemned the arrest and unlawful detention of 52 students of the Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, describing the action as a dangerous suppression of youth voices and democratic expression.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Senator called for the immediate release of the detained students, insisting that protest and civic engagement must never be criminalised in a democratic society.
“Dialogue, not detention, is the pathway to peace and progress,” Akpoti-Uduaghan said. “Our youths must not be criminalised for speaking up and protesting about issues that affect their environment, welfare, and future.”
The lawmaker faulted the handling of the situation by authorities in Edo State, urging the government to redirect its attention toward the escalating insecurity confronting residents, including kidnappings and related crimes.
“The government of Edo State must focus on addressing the concerns of kidnappings and other forms of insecurity, rather than suppressing discerning and courageous voices,” she stated.
Akpoti-Uduaghan emphasized that peaceful protest is a constitutional right and a vital tool for accountability, especially for young people whose futures are directly impacted by governance failures.
“Silencing students through arrests only deepens mistrust and widens the gap between government and the governed. Engagement and honest dialogue are the responsible responses,” the Senator added.
Concluding her message, she reaffirmed her solidarity with the detained students and their families, noting that her advocacy aligns with her broader commitment to justice and youth empowerment.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that no fewer than 52 students of Ambrose Alli University were remanded in a correctional facility following a coordinated midnight operation by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.
The students were arrested late at night from various hostels across the university town and later charged to court for allegedly participating in a protest held the previous Saturday against the worsening security situation in the state.
Several students who spoke to SaharaReporters said the arrests were indiscriminate and not carried out at the protest venue. Instead, police officers reportedly stormed different hostels in the dead of night, arresting students from their rooms.
Earlier, revolutionary activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, also strongly condemned the arrest and remand of the students who protested against rising insecurity and killings in Edo State.
Reacting to the development, Sowore had described the actions of the Nigeria Police Force and the Edo State government as an indicating abuse of power and a deliberate attempt to criminalize student activism.
“This is a despicable and unacceptable way to treat students randomly arrested by the Nigeria Police Force. It is abuse of power, pure and simple,” Sowore said.
“The courts must act without delay, grant them bail immediately, and quash these bogus, manufactured charges.”
He further urged Nigerian students to remain vigilant and organised in the face of repression.
“Nigerian students must remain alert, organised, and resolute in resisting oppression and intimidation by the useless Edo State government and its willing accomplices in uniform. A state that criminalizes student activism must be resisted,” Sowore said, ending his statement with the hashtag #RevolutionNow.