The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has directed its members in Ekiti State to begin mobilisation for peaceful protests following the remand of the immediate past Students’ Union Government President of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), James Adio.
In a statement issued on Monday, NANS National President, Akinteye Babatunde, described the remand as a miscarriage of justice, alleging that Adio was sent to prison over a case he personally instituted before a Magistrate Court in Ekiti State.
Akinteye maintained that Adio was the complainant in the matter and had no criminal charges against him. He alleged that the case was later turned against the former student leader through the actions of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions and the presiding magistrate.
The student body condemned the development, describing it as judicial rascality, a gross abuse of due process and a violation of Adio’s fundamental rights.
Akinteye disclosed that he had directed the association’s Joint Campus Committee Chairman for the Ekiti Axis and the National Head of Administration to commence mobilisation for peaceful demonstrations.
He said the planned actions would include lawful protests at the Ekiti State High Court, the Magistrate Court and the office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions until Adio is released and justice is served.
The NANS president added that the association would continue to defend the rights of Nigerian students and uphold justice, the rule of law and the fundamental rights of students across the country.
In a separate open letter addressed to Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji, the state’s Chief Judge and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the NANS Head of Administration, Owolewa Taiwo, alleged that Adio approached the court after private, consensual moments between him and another adult were secretly recorded and circulated on social media without his consent.
The association claimed the matter, which centred on alleged cyberbullying and unlawful publication of private media, was diverted from its original focus during proceedings before Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun of the Magistrate Court, Fajuyi, Ado-Ekiti.
According to NANS, the magistrate focused on the private conduct of the parties rather than the cyberbullying complaint and subsequently ordered the remand of Adio alongside the defendants until August 4, 2026.
The association further alleged that the Director of Public Prosecutions, Akinlabi O.O., and the Director of Citizenship Rights, H.A. Adeyemi, argued during the proceedings that FUOYE treated the parties differently by suspending only the female involved while allowing Adio to sit for his examinations.
NANS, however, maintained that Adio’s legal team presented records showing that his earlier suspension was unrelated to the matter before the court and that he had since been exonerated and reinstated by the university senate.
The association also alleged that the principal defendant had made repeated visits to the Ministry of Justice before the court proceedings, claiming the conduct of the prosecution and the court suggested a loss of judicial neutrality.
Consequently, NANS called for the immediate recusal of Magistrate Adeosun from the case, the reassignment of the matter to another judge, an independent review of Adio’s remand order and an investigation into the conduct of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Director of Citizenship Rights.
The association warned that it would petition the National Judicial Council and other relevant disciplinary bodies if its demands were not addressed.
Punch