… Edo govt, police insist suspects are rioters
By Obinna Uballa
Outrage has continued to trail the arrest and detention of 52 students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Edo State, following a protest against insecurity, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and student groups demanding their immediate release.
The students were arrested after a protest in Ekpoma on Saturday over rising cases of kidnapping and insecurity. While the demonstration was initially peaceful, it reportedly turned violent after suspected hoodlums hijacked it, attacking traders, burning tyres, blocking roads and vandalising the palace of the Onojie of Ekpoma, Zaiki Anthony Abumere II.
In a statement posted on his verified X account on Tuesday, Atiku condemned the arrests, describing them as a sign of intolerance by the Bola Tinubu administration. He insisted that the right to peaceful protest is guaranteed under the Constitution.
“The level of intolerance and high-handedness of the Bola Tinubu administration is concerning. It is unacceptable that the authorities’ response to students’ protest against insecurity in the Ekpoma area of Edo State is to arrest and detain dozens of students of the Ambrose Alli University,” Atiku said.
He added that peaceful protest is protected by law and accused the government of misplaced priorities.
“The right to protest is not only enshrined in the Constitution but has also been validated by the courts. The primary responsibility of government is the security and welfare of the citizens,” he said.
Atiku further argued that if the same energy used to arrest protesters was deployed to tackling terrorism and banditry, communities would be safer, calling for the “immediate and unconditional release of all those unjustifiably detained.”
The 52 students were subsequently remanded at the Ubiaja Correctional Centre by a Benin High Court over charges bordering on malicious damage and armed robbery. However, the presiding judge, Justice William Aziegbemi, ruled on Monday that the court lacked jurisdiction and directed defence counsel to file bail applications at the Ubiaja High Court. He adjourned the matter to February 26, 2026.
Some of the affected students alleged that they were arrested at about 3 am in their hostels and transported in a Black Maria to Benin for arraignment.
Adding her voice, the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, condemned the arrests, describing them as a suppression of democratic expression. In a solidarity statement issued on Tuesday, she demanded the students’ immediate release.
“Dialogue, not detention, is the pathway to peace and progress. Our youths must not be criminalised for speaking up and protesting about issues that affect their environment, welfare and future,” she said.
She faulted the Edo State Government for what she described as a misplaced focus, urging authorities to concentrate on addressing kidnapping and insecurity rather than silencing dissenting voices.
“The government of Edo State must focus on addressing the concerns of kidnappings and other forms of insecurity, rather than suppressing discerning and courageous voices,” Akpoti-Uduaghan added.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) also condemned the continued detention of the students, describing it as “ridiculous, unacceptable and deeply disturbing.” In a statement signed by its National Public Relations Officer, Adeyemi Ajasa, NANS insisted that students exercising their constitutional right to protest should not be subjected to intimidation or psychological trauma.
The Edo State Government and the police, however, dismissed claims that the arrested persons were peaceful protesters or AAU students. The government described the incident as a coordinated riot aimed at destabilising the state.
In a statement on Monday, the Edo State Police Command said investigations showed that the protest was hijacked by hoodlums who engaged in vandalism, looting and assaults, including an attack on the palace of the Onojie of Ekpoma.
According to the police in the statement signed by Eno Ikodedem, the command’s spokesperson, “Contrary to claims circulating on social media, no peaceful protester was arrested. The suspects were arrested for violent acts and have been arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction.”
Meanwhile, public outrage has continued to grow on social media, with many Nigerians questioning why protesters were swiftly arrested while kidnappers remain largely at large.
In a video circulating online, Governor Monday Okpebholo alleged that those arrested were linked to the kidnapping incidents in Ekpoma, insisting that the crimes were not carried out by Fulani bandits.
