The arrest and remand of 52 students of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, has drawn sharp condemnation from Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is demanding their immediate release and warning that Nigeria is treading a dangerous path by criminalising peaceful dissent.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central in the Senate, described the detention of the students as a “dangerous suppression of youth voices and democratic expression,” insisting that the state’s response to the protest undermines constitutional guarantees and deepens mistrust between young Nigerians and those in authority.

The students were picked up in a coordinated late-night operation by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force in Ekpoma and subsequently remanded in a correctional facility. They were accused of participating in a protest held earlier against worsening insecurity in Edo State, including rising incidents of kidnapping and violent crime affecting communities around the university and beyond.

According to accounts from student leaders and rights advocates, the protest had been organised to draw attention to the growing sense of vulnerability among residents and students, many of whom have reported abductions on highways and within surrounding communities. The demonstration, they say, was largely peaceful until security agents moved in.

Authorities in Edo State, however, maintain that the protest was hijacked by hoodlums who allegedly attacked traders, burnt tyres and vandalised the palace of the Onojie of Ekpoma, Zaiki Anthony Abumere II. On that basis, dozens of students were rounded up, charged and remanded, a move that has since triggered outrage from civil society groups and student unions.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, in her reaction, argued that even where there are concerns about criminal infiltration of protests, the default response in a democracy cannot be mass arrests of young people exercising their rights.

“Dialogue, not detention, is the pathway to peace and progress. Our youths must not be criminalised for speaking up and protesting about issues that affect their environment, welfare, and future,” she said, calling for the immediate release of the detained students and a review of the circumstances surrounding their arrest.

The senator faulted what she described as a misplaced priority by authorities in Edo State, urging them to focus on tackling the insecurity that triggered the protest rather than clamping down on those who raised the alarm.

“The government of Edo State must focus on addressing the concerns of kidnappings and other forms of insecurity, rather than suppressing discerning and courageous voices,” she stated, adding that the right to peaceful protest is not a privilege granted at the discretion of government but a constitutional guarantee.

Her intervention aligns with a growing chorus of voices questioning the use of heavy-handed tactics against protesters across the country. Legal experts and rights advocates have repeatedly warned that the routine deployment of security forces to disperse demonstrations, followed by arrests and prolonged detention, is eroding public confidence in democratic institutions.

Akpoti-Uduaghan underscored this concern, stressing that peaceful protest is a vital tool for accountability, especially for young people whose lives and prospects are directly shaped by public policy and governance failures.

“Silencing students through arrests only deepens mistrust and widens the gap between government and the governed. Engagement and honest dialogue are the responsible responses,” she said.

Her comments reflect a broader anxiety about the shrinking civic space in Nigeria, where students, journalists, labour unions and activists have repeatedly complained of intimidation, arbitrary arrests and legal harassment when they challenge official narratives or mobilise around social and economic grievances.

In the case of Ambrose Alli University, the National Association of Nigerian Students has also taken a firm stand. In a statement signed by its National Public Relations Officer, Adeyemi Ajasa, NANS condemned the continued detention of the 52 students, describing it as “ridiculous, unacceptable, and deeply disturbing.”

The association insisted that students who engage in peaceful protest should not be subjected to intimidation, harassment or psychological trauma, and called on the authorities to drop all charges and release the detainees without conditions. NANS further warned that the incident sends a chilling message to students nationwide who may wish to speak out on issues affecting their safety and education.

Rights groups note that the Ekpoma arrests fit a familiar pattern: security agencies often justify crackdowns by alleging that protests were hijacked by “hoodlums,” a term critics say is frequently used without transparent investigation or clear evidence. Once that label is applied, mass arrests and prolonged detention tend to follow, with students and young people bearing the brunt.

For Akpoti-Uduaghan, who has built a public profile around advocacy for justice, inclusion and youth empowerment, the Ekpoma case is emblematic of a deeper governance problem. She argues that when governments respond to legitimate grievances with force rather than reform, they not only violate rights but also fuel the very instability they claim to be preventing.