The Education Rights Campaign (ERC) has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of 29 students of the Ekiti State University (EKSU) who were arrested on Wednesday by operatives of the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SAS).
This is contained in a press statement signed by the National Coordinator of the organization, Comrade Hassan Taiwo Soweto on Thursday.
As stated by the statement, the students were rounded up in their hostels at the dead of the night on Wednesday, November 1, during an alleged “illegal raid”.
“The students are being held at the Police Headquarters in Ekiti State and have now been detained beyond 24 hours. They were arrested without any prior investigation or evidence linking them to any crime.
“The raid was reportedly ordered by the State governor.
“While we strongly condemn the cult clashes in EKSU which have recently claimed lives, we disagree with the method of the police which includes indiscriminate arrest of all students without having any evidence that they are involved in cultism.
“This kind of method can only worsen the security situation as it criminalises all students for the crimes of a few while helping to provide a blanket of confusion for the real criminals to evade justice.
“We hereby call for the immediate release of the students. We urge staff unions of EKSU, the students’ movement and the labour movement in Ekiti to also publicly condemn the arrest and call the State government and police to order,” the statement stated.