Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo, has approved the release of individuals arrested in connection with the recent unrest in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of the state, following protests that erupted around Ambrose Alli University (AAU).
The first batch of seven detainees was released on Tuesday after verification, with the Edo State Commissioner for Education, Paddy Iyamu, present to oversee the process.
Iyamu explained that only those confirmed to be bona fide students of the institution would be granted freedom, in line with the governor’s directive.
Governor Okpebholo, who met with the President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of Ambrose Alli University earlier in the day, maintained that the disturbance that occurred on Saturday was not initiated by students of the university.
He insisted that the violence was carried out by non-students who loiter around the institution and exploit students through intimidation and extortion.
According to the governor, investigations revealed that those responsible for the chaos were criminal elements masquerading as students, using the guise of protest to foment trouble, loot property and disrupt public order.
He assured the SUG leadership that his administration would decisively tackle such activities to restore peace and protect law-abiding students and residents.
While reiterating that the protest was not organised by the student body, Okpebholo gave assurances that any genuine students who might have been arrested during security operations to restore calm would be promptly identified and released.
He described the incident as a criminal act rather than a legitimate protest, stressing that the destruction witnessed in Ekpoma was driven by ulterior motives.
The governor added that the situation provided an opportunity for hoodlums to engage in looting and violence under false pretences.
Okpebholo also dismissed reports linking the incident to cases of kidnapping, describing such claims as fabricated and deliberately staged to misinform the public and incite ethnic tension.
He alleged that some individuals orchestrated false abduction narratives, including claims of self-kidnapping, in a bid to justify the unrest, noting that the loss of life recorded during the incident was particularly tragic.
The governor condemned the burning of markets and the widespread destruction of property during the violence, warning that anyone found sponsoring or deploying hoodlums to destabilise communities in Edo State would face the full weight of the law.
He further stressed that political affiliation would not shield any individual from prosecution, vowing that his administration would pursue all those responsible for undermining peace and economic activities in the state.
Okpebholo reaffirmed his commitment to maintaining law and order, assuring residents that his government would continue to work with security agencies to ensure justice, protect lives and property, and prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
