In a post on X on Thursday, Amnesty International urged Madonna University's Elele Campus in Rivers State to lift the expulsion of a final-year nursing student and the suspension of 14 fellow 500-level students disciplined over a viral TikTok video. 

Describing the punishments as overly harsh, the human rights group advocated for resolving the issue through mediation and constructive dialogue instead.

“Amnesty International urges the authorities of Madonna University Elele Campus, Rivers State, to rescind the expulsion a final-year nursing student, and the suspension 14 other 500-level students over a viral TikTok video,” the organisation said.

It added, “The expulsion and suspension are disproportionate. The university should prioritise dialogue and mediation.”

Madonna University expelled Mercy, a final-year nursing student, and suspended 14 of her 500-level peers after a clip of them dancing across a hospital waiting area, a staircase, and a bus gained widespread traction online. 

Filmed at the Elele campus as part of the viral "Gen Z nurses" trend, a 15-second snippet posted by YabaLeftOnline on September 1 amassed over 1.7 million views on X. 

Amnesty International warned that such heavy-handed penalties risk derailing the students' futures, arguing that the disciplinary actions infringe on their rights to freedom of expression, academic freedom, and education.

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