Students plan protests over remand of FUOYE SUG president

The National Association of Nigerian Students has told its members in Ekiti State to start preparing for peaceful protests. This follows the remand of James Adio, the former Students’ Union Government President of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti.

In a statement on Monday, NANS President Akinteye Babatunde called the remand a miscarriage of justice. He claimed Adio was jailed over a case he brought to a Magistrate Court in Ekiti State.

Akinteye said Adio was the complainant in the case and faced no criminal charges. He said, "I have just been briefed that the Magistrate Court in Ekiti State has remanded the immediate past FUOYE SUG President, Comrade Adio, in prison over a matter that he personally instituted before the court."

He added, "From the facts available to us, Comrade Adio was the complainant and had no criminal case against him. It is therefore deeply disturbing that the matter was allegedly turned against him through the actions of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions and the presiding Magistrate."

The student body condemned this situation, calling it “judicial rascality, a gross abuse of due process, and a violation of Comrade Adio’s fundamental rights.” The NANS president said he instructed the Joint Campus Committee Chairman for Ekiti and the National Head of Administration to start mobilising for protests.

He said, "In response to this development, I have immediately directed the NANS JCC Chairman, Ekiti Axis, and the NANS National Head of Administration to begin mobilisation. Peaceful actions will be taken to demand justice, including lawful protests at the Ekiti State High Court, the Magistrate Court, and the office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions until Comrade Adio is released and justice is served."

Akinteye also said the association will keep fighting for the rights of Nigerian students. He stated, "The National Association of Nigerian Students will not stand by while the rights of Nigerian students are trampled upon. We remain committed to defending justice, the rule of law, and the fundamental rights of every Nigerian student."

In another letter to Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji, the Chief Judge, and the Attorney-General, NANS Head of Administration Owolewa Taiwo claimed Adio went to court after private moments with another adult were recorded and shared online without his consent.

The association said the case involved alleged cyberbullying and unlawful publication of private media. They claimed the original focus of the case changed during the trial at the Magistrate Court, Ado-Ekiti.

NANS said the magistrate focused on the private actions of the parties rather than the cyberbullying complaint. This led to Adio being remanded alongside the defendants until August 4, 2026.

The association also claimed that the Director of Public Prosecutions, Akinlabi O.O., and the Director of Citizenship Rights, H.A. Adeyemi, argued that the Federal University Oye-Ekiti treated the parties unfairly by only suspending the female involved while allowing Adio to sit for his exams.

However, NANS said Adio’s legal team showed records proving his earlier suspension had nothing to do with the case. They stated he had been cleared and reinstated by the university senate.

NANS further claimed that the main defendant visited the Ministry of Justice several times before the court hearings. They argued that the actions of the prosecution and the court showed a lack of judicial fairness.

As a result, NANS called for Magistrate Adeosun to step back from the case. They also want the case assigned to another judge, an independent review of Adio’s remand order, and an investigation into the actions of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Director of Citizenship Rights.

They warned that if their demands are not met, they will take the matter to the National Judicial Council and other relevant bodies regarding the actions of the judicial officers involved.

As of now, the Ekiti State Ministry of Justice has not responded to the claims in the NANS statement and the open letter.