'This development is a judicial rascality, a gross abuse of due process, and a violation of Comrade Adio's fundamental rights.'

  • NANS President Akinteye Babatunde.

James Adio, the immediate past Students' Union Government President of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti in Ekiti State, has been remanded in prison over a matter he personally instituted before a Magistrate Court in Ekiti State. According to sources, Adio was the complainant and had no criminal case against him.

Adio was allegedly accused of involving in private, consensual moments between him and another adult that were recorded and circulated on social media without his consent. The case, which centered 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, Fajuyi, Ado-Ekiti.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has condemned the remand and described it as 'judicial rascality, a gross abuse of due process, and a violation of Comrade Adio's fundamental rights.' NANS President Akinteye Babatunde said the association has directed its members in Ekiti State to begin mobilisation for peaceful protests.

NANS has also called for 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 Ekiti State Ministry of Justice has yet to respond to the allegations contained in the NANS statement and open letter. NANS has vowed to take peaceful actions to demand justice, including lawful protests at the Ekiti State High Court, the Magistrate Court, and the office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

In a statement, NANS accused the prosecution and the court of allegedly colluding with the principal defendant to turn the case against Adio.

The association claimed that Adio's legal team presented records showing his earlier suspension was unrelated to the matter before the court and that he had since been exonerated and reinstated by the university senate.

NANS alleged that the Director of Public Prosecutions, Akinlabi O.O., and the Director of Citizenship Rights, H.A. Adeyemi, argued during the proceedings 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 maintained that Adio's suspension was unrelated to the matter before the court and that he had since been exonerated and reinstated by the university senate.

NANS also accused the principal defendant in the case of making repeated visits to the Ministry of Justice before the court proceedings.

The association warned that if its demands were not addressed, it would petition the National Judicial Council and other relevant disciplinary bodies over the conduct of the judicial officers involved.