Amnesty International has urged the management of Madonna University, Elele Campus, Rivers State, to reverse the expulsion of a final-year nursing student and the suspension of 14 other 500-level students over a viral TikTok video.
The rights organisation made the call in a post on its X account on Thursday, describing the sanctions as disproportionate and recommending that the university resolve the matter through dialogue and mediation.
The university had expelled a final-year nursing student identified as Mercy and suspended 14 others after a video showing nursing students dancing in a hospital waiting area, on a staircase and in a bus went viral. Recorded on the Elele campus, the video was part of a social media trend known as the “Gen Z nurses” challenge. A 15-second version published by Yabaleftonline on September 1 reportedly drew more than 1.7 million views on X.
Amnesty said heavy-handed academic or disciplinary sanctions of this kind could end the affected students’ academic progress. It argued that the students were entitled to freedom of expression, academic freedom and education, and that the expulsion and suspension were harsh enough to have a chilling effect on how those rights are enjoyed. The organisation also called on the university to ensure that its disciplinary policies and procedures comply with international human rights standards and uphold the rights of everyone.
The matter had earlier drawn appeals from the Nigerian Universities Nursing Students’ Association and the National Association of Nigerian Students. NUNSA said it had begun discussions with relevant stakeholders to seek a review of the decision, while NANS appealed for clemency, arguing that the expulsion could have lasting consequences for the students’ academic and professional futures.
The university’s Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Chima Achu, had told Sunday PUNCH that the institution would issue an official statement on the matter.
