NANS Threatens Protest Over Ex-FUOYE SUG President’s Remand, Demands Judicial Probe
The National Association of Nigerian Students 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, James Adio.
The association, in a statement issued on Monday by its National President, Akinteye Babatunde, described Adio’s remand as a miscarriage of justice, alleging that the former student leader was imprisoned over a case he personally instituted before a Magistrate Court in Ekiti State.
According to Akinteye, Adio was the complainant in the matter and was not facing any criminal charge before the court.
“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.
“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 statement read.
NANS condemned the development, describing it as “judicial rascality, a gross abuse of due process and a violation of Comrade Adio’s fundamental rights.”
The students’ body said it had directed its Joint Campus Committee Chairman for the Ekiti Axis and the National Head of Administration to commence mobilisation for peaceful demonstrations across the state.
“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 stated.
He maintained that NANS would continue to defend the rights of Nigerian students and ensure that justice prevailed.
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, NANS Head of Administration, Owolewa Taiwo, alleged that Adio had approached the court after private, consensual moments between him and another adult were secretly recorded and circulated on social media without his consent.
According to the association, the case, which centred on alleged cyberbullying and unlawful publication of private media, was diverted from its original subject during proceedings before Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun of the Magistrate Court in Fajuyi, Ado-Ekiti.
NANS alleged that rather than focusing on the cyberbullying complaint, the magistrate concentrated on the private conduct of the parties and subsequently ordered the remand of Adio alongside the defendants until August 4, 2026.
The association further 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 differently by suspending only the female involved while allowing Adio to sit for his examinations.
However, NANS insisted 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’s Senate.
The association also alleged that the principal defendant made repeated visits to the Ministry of Justice before the court proceedings, claiming the actions of the prosecution and the court raised concerns over judicial neutrality.
Consequently, NANS demanded the immediate recusal of Magistrate Adeosun from the matter, reassignment of the case 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 if its demands were ignored, it would petition the National Judicial Council and other relevant disciplinary bodies over the conduct of the judicial officers involved.
As of the time of filing this report, the Ekiti State Ministry of Justice had yet to respond to the allegations contained in the NANS statement and the open letter.