The Edo State Government has moved to facilitate the release of bona fide students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU) who were remanded at the Ubiaja Correctional Centre following a protest against rising kidnappings in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area.
The students were among 52 individuals detained in connection with last week’s unrest, which erupted over concerns about frequent kidnappings and the recent killing of a local youth.
Governor Monday Okpebholo has tasked the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Paddy Iyamu, with overseeing the release process, ensuring that only genuine AAU students are freed.
Speaking to journalists at Ubiaja Correctional Centre, Dr. Iyamu assured that once all necessary procedures are completed, the legitimate students would be released without delay.
He explained, “The violent protest in Ekpoma was incited by a group known as the Comrade Association, largely made up of former students, who often exploit such situations to cause unrest. There is a lot of misinformation, especially on social media. A protest cannot take place without proper authorization from the Student Union Government. The school is not in session, and AAU students were not involved. The Comrade Association recruits former students to instigate these acts, without official communication with security agencies.”
Dr. Iyamu added that the protesters vandalized the palace of the traditional ruler and seized food supplies, including Indomie noodles, describing these acts as uncharacteristic of the AAU student body’s values. He reiterated that Governor Okpebholo has directed that all legitimate AAU students be released and allowed to return home.
Comrade Asefon Sunday, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Student Engagement, confirmed that 38 AAU students arrested during the protest would be released soon.
He said: “This positive development is the result of timely and constructive interventions by Governor Monday Okpebholo, Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Edo State Commissioner for Education, the SUG President at Ambrose Alli University, and the comrade community. We appreciate the commitment of all stakeholders to dialogue, due process, and student welfare, and we commend their efforts in achieving a peaceful resolution.”
Osadebamwen Ehizojie, President of the AAU Student Union Government (SUG), expressed gratitude to the Governor, stating: “We are thankful for His Excellency’s intervention to ensure the release of our fellow students. It is important to stress that the protest was hijacked by hoodlums and was not initiated by AAU students.”