Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana has asked the Senate of Nasarawa State University, Keffi to suspend its plan to award an honorary doctorate to Tanzania’s president, Samia Suluhu Hassan, citing concerns over alleged human rights violations in her country.

The university is scheduled to confer a Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa) on President Hassan during its eighth combined convocation on 11 April, an event marking its 25th anniversary.

However, the planned honour has drawn criticism amid reports of a post-election crackdown in Tanzania following the 2025 presidential poll.

President Hassan secured victory in the October 2025 election with 98 per cent of the vote, but the process faced widespread criticism after key opposition figures, including Tundu Lissu, were barred from participating. Lissu is currently in detention on treason charges.

International reports, including investigations by CNN and findings by Human Rights Watch, alleged that security forces used excessive force in suppressing protests that followed the election.

The reports indicated that unarmed demonstrators were shot in several locations, with eyewitness accounts and video evidence suggesting multiple casualties.

While Tanzanian authorities have acknowledged that deaths occurred, they have not released official figures and have rejected claims of higher casualties as exaggerated. President Hassan has defended the government’s actions, describing the unrest as an organised attempt to destabilise the country and maintaining that security forces acted within reasonable limits.

In a statement issued on Friday, Falana said proceeding with the honour raises ethical and legal questions in light of the allegations. He argued that universities must uphold principles of justice and human rights, warning that such recognition could be interpreted as endorsement of alleged abuses.

He also called on the National Universities Commission to review the decision in line with its February 2026 guidelines on honorary degrees. According to him, the guidelines require that such awards be reserved for individuals of proven integrity, outstanding achievement, and clear contributions to society.

Falana added that universities are expected to conduct thorough vetting processes and assess reputational risks before conferring honorary awards, stressing that the honours should not be granted routinely or without due diligence.

As of the time of filing this report, the university had not issued any official response to the concerns.