Amnesty International has urged the authorities of Madonna University, Elele Campus, Rivers State, to rescind the expulsion of a final-year nursing student and suspension of 14 other 500-level students over a viral TikTok video. The rights organisation made the call in a post on X, describing the sanctions as disproportionate……
Amnesty International has urged the authorities of Madonna University, Elele Campus, Rivers State, to rescind the expulsion of a final-year nursing student and suspension of 14 other 500-level students over a viral TikTok video.
The rights organisation made the call in a post on X, describing the sanctions as disproportionate and urging the university to pursue dialogue and mediation.
The students were sanctioned over their involvement in a TikTok video that went viral with the caption “No sick oo, Na Gen Z full hospital.”
Amnesty said the sanctions could disrupt the affected students’ academic progress and create a chilling effect on their rights.
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“The expulsion and suspension are disproportionate. The university should prioritize dialogue and mediation,” the organisation said.
It added that “Imposing heavy-handed academic or disciplinary sanctions would terminate the academic progress of the affected students.”
According to Amnesty, the students have rights to freedom of expression, academic freedom and education, and the university’s policies and disciplinary procedures should conform to international human rights standards.
The organisation therefore called on the institution to uphold the rights of all students, including their rights to freedom of expression, education and academic freedom.
