The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the arrest of 52 students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU) following a protest against insecurity.
The protest began in the Ekpoma area of Edo State on Saturday, resulting in the arrest of the students by the police and their subsequent arraignment.
The development has sparked criticism from many Nigerians, including notable personalities and civil rights groups.
Reacting to the development on Tuesday, Atiku said: “The level of intolerance and high-handedness of the Bola Tinubu administration is concerning. It is unacceptable that the authorities’ response to students’ protest against insecurity in the Ekpoma area of Edo State is to arrest and detain dozens of students of the Ambrose Alli University (AAU).”
He argued that the right to protest is not only enshrined in the Constitution but has also been upheld by the courts.
The former Vice President reminded the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration under President Tinubu that the primary responsibility of government is the security and welfare of the citizens.
He also asserted that if the energy used to arrest innocent students and citizens for raising concerns about insecurity were deployed towards combating terrorism and banditry, rather than negotiating with criminals, communities across the country would be safer.
He further called for the immediate and unconstitutional release of all those unjustly detained for asserting their legitimate rights to protest.
