Six students and a lecturer of the Madonna University, Okija, Anambra State, who have been in detention since February, for posting ‘offensive’ messages on Facebook, have been released on bail.
They were granted bail on Wednesday by the Federal High Court in Awka, presided over by Babatunde Quadri.
The university, in a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, accused the students of tarnishing the reputation of the institution on the Internet.
One of the Facebook posts read: “Good lecturers are scarce. Madonna University administration should be nice to our lecturers, or a good number of them will resign.”
The students and lecturer were charged for offences bordering on cyber crimes.
Following the development, security operatives took them to the Okija campus of the university from where they were first detained in a police cell and then later sent to the Awka Prison.
This newspaper gathered that the parents of six students earlier protested the alleged inhuman treatment of their wards in the university and called for their release.
Also, some weeks ago, the National Association of Nigerian Students blocked the gate of the Federal High Court, Awka, to protest the arraignment of the seven.
Some activists have also shown interest in the case and demanded their release.
Premium Times
