Party labels detention of anti-kidnapping protesters as oppressive
The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the immediate and unconditional release of 52 students from Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, who were arrested following a protest against rising insecurity.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, the party’s Publicity Secretary, Dan Osa-Ogbegie, described the continued detention and subsequent remand of the students as an “oppressive and unlawful” abuse of power by the state authorities.
The students were among those who took to the streets last Friday to voice their frustration over the persistent kidnappings and the recent killing of a youth in the community.
The PDP maintained that the initial demonstration was a peaceful and constitutionally protected exercise of civic rights before it was allegedly hijacked by hoodlums. The party accused the Monday Okpebholo-led administration of punishing the victims of insecurity while failing to confront the actual criminal networks terrorizing Ekpoma. According to the statement, the government’s response to the protest has been “incompetent and authoritarian,” suggesting that only a leadership “afraid of accountability” would criminalize a protest against violence.
“The arrest and continued detention of peaceful protesters, many of them students, exposes the true character of the APC government in Edo State,” Osa-Ogbegie stated. He argued that the administration appears “brutal toward citizens” but “timid before criminals.” The PDP reiterated its stand against the killings and kidnappings in the region, calling for a more robust security strategy that protects the people of Ekpoma rather than silencing them through mass arrests.
Violent turn of events leads to palace vandalism
The protest, which began as a desperate plea for safety, took a violent turn on Saturday after miscreants reportedly took over the demonstration. The ensuing chaos led to an attack on a local livestock market and the vandalism of the palace of the Onojie of Ekpoma, Zaiki Anthony Abumere II. Governor Okpebholo has since condemned the destruction of traditional and commercial property, characterizing the act as criminal behavior masquerading as activism.
Security agencies have struggled to contain the fallout from the protest, which was originally triggered by public outrage over a kidnapping-related murder on Friday night. While residents initially used the protest to block major highways and draw government attention to their plight, the infiltration by hoodlums shifted the focus to civil unrest. The PDP, however, insists that the majority of those currently in custody are innocent students who were simply demanding a safer learning and living environment.
The Edo State Police Command has confirmed the arrests but maintains that the suspects were apprehended in connection with the arson and looting that followed the initial protest. Police spokesperson Eno Ikoedem also confirmed that one person was shot by a soldier during the melee, an incident that has been handed over to military authorities for a thorough investigation. The tension in Ekpoma remains high as the university community and parents wait for further legal developments regarding the remanded 52 individuals.
Calls for dismantling of criminal networks in Edo North
Beyond the demand for the students’ release, the PDP has urged the State Government to take decisive action against the kidnappers who operate freely across Ekpoma and neighboring communities. The party argued that the heavy-handedness shown toward the protesters should be redirected toward the criminal elements who have made the Auchi-Ekpoma highway a nightmare for travelers. The lack of visible security presence in the most vulnerable areas was cited as the primary reason for the residents’ “desperate” decision to protest.
Traditional leaders and civil society groups in Edo North have also expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation. They warned that the criminalization of protests could lead to a breakdown of trust between the community and the government, making it harder to gather intelligence on local criminal gangs. There is a growing consensus that a holistic approach involving community policing and increased military patrols is needed to restore peace to the university town.
As the legal proceedings against the 52 suspects continue, the PDP has vowed to provide legal support to ensure that no student is wrongly convicted for exercising their democratic rights. The party’s stance has intensified the political debate in Edo State, with the ruling APC yet to issue a formal rebuttal to the “authoritarian” labels. For the residents of Ekpoma, the hope remains that the focus will return to the root cause of the crisis: the escalating threat of kidnapping and violent crime.
