Students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, who were remanded at the Ubiaja Correctional Centre following a protest last weekend, have regained their freedom alongside other detainees, the Edo State government confirmed on Thursday.
The release, which involved 52 individuals previously remanded by a Benin High Court on charges including malicious damage and armed robbery, was announced in a statement by Patrick Ebojele, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo.
The students had participated in a demonstration against insecurity in Ekpoma, which escalated after hoodlums allegedly hijacked the protest, attacking traders, setting tyres ablaze and blocking roads. Videos of the disturbances circulated widely on social media, drawing national attention.
During a stakeholders’ engagement at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Benin, Ebojele met the released students and other affected persons. He assured them of the administration’s commitment to dialogue, institutional reform, and the development of AAU.
Governor Okpebholo expressed deep concern over the violent turn of the protest. “I was highly in pain when I saw what was happening in my place. The day I was sworn in, I said I was going to revive Ambrose Alli University,” he said. He highlighted the university’s financial challenges under the previous administration, noting that while the institution’s entire community received ₦41 million, a single consultant was reportedly earning ₦59 million. “Since then, it has been about how to revive the school, how to move the school forward and how to reposition it again,” he added.
The governor disclosed that outstanding salary and wage arrears owed to AAU staff currently stand at approximately ₦41 billion, stressing that measures were underway to gradually offset the debt. He also cautioned students against being exploited by criminal elements and urged them to prioritise their studies and peaceful engagement. “Somebody said he is a student, and he protests. What are you protesting for? Don’t allow yourself to be used. Read your books so that you can be like us,” he said.
Acknowledging the wider security challenges facing Ekpoma and other areas, the governor noted that investigations revealed many criminal acts were carried out by locals. He condemned the destruction of shops and looting during the protest, describing such actions as counterproductive, and reassured residents that criminals would not be allowed to operate with impunity in Edo State. “The same way you are afraid of your life, is the same way I am afraid of my life. Kidnappers do not know the status of anybody, and so it’s a common problem we all have,” he said.
Commissioner for Education, Dr Paddy Iyamu, commended the governor for choosing dialogue over force in resolving the situation. Other speakers at the meeting, including Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa, Chief of Staff Gani Audu, the Minister of Youth, and the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Youth Engagement, also praised the administration’s intervention and commitment to education and peace.
