The Edo State Police Command has arraigned 52 persons, including students of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, over the violent protest that erupted in Ekpoma, the headquarters of Esan West Local Government Area of the state.
The protest, which started as a demonstration against the rising cases of kidnappings and killings in the community, later degenerated into violence. Shops were looted, while the palace of the Onojie of Ekpoma was vandalised before security operatives moved in to restore order.
Residents had taken to the streets after repeated abductions of people in the area, with reports that some victims were taken from their homes. Tension reportedly escalated as the situation worsened, leading to destruction of property across parts of the town.
Several of the AAU students arraigned claimed they were arrested in their hostels around 3 a.m. while asleep. They alleged that they were conveyed in a police van, popularly called Black Maria, to Benin City, where they were detained ahead of their arraignment.
At the court premises, emotions ran high as relatives and friends of the suspects gathered, seeking information about their loved ones. Abdulsalam, a parent whose two sons were among those arraigned, insisted that his children had no link with the protest. “My children were not part of any protest. They were picked up in their sleep,” he said.
The suspects were arraigned through an ex parte motion filed by police counsel, P. O. Odion. However, the presiding judge, Justice William Aziegbemi, ruled that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter and advised defence counsel to approach the Ubiaja High Court for bail applications.
Justice Aziegbemi consequently ordered that the suspects be remanded at the Ubiaja Correctional Centre and adjourned the case to February 26, 2026, for hearing.
Reacting to the development, the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Eno Ikoedem, said the suspects were arrested for their alleged involvement in a violent protest that led to destruction of property in Ekpoma.
Lawyers representing some of the defendants faulted the charges. Barrister Wisdom Isaac described them as “bogus,” arguing that offences such as malicious damage and armed robbery were wrongly preferred against the suspects. He added that no formal complaints were made against many of them.
Another counsel, Ejemi Etinbowei, maintained that the students neither organised nor led the protest. According to him, the demonstration was initiated by relatives of a kidnap victim who was later found dead.
