The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has called for the immediate and unconditional release of 52 students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, who were remanded in prison over their alleged involvement in last Friday’s protest against rising insecurity in the town.
In a statement released late Monday, the 12th of January, 2026, the PDP’s Publicity Secretary, Dan Osa-Ogbegie, described the continued detention of the students as oppressive, unlawful, and a blatant abuse of power.
The party emphasised that the demonstration was peaceful and constitutionally guaranteed before it was reportedly hijacked by hoodlums.
According to the PDP, the state government is punishing victims while failing to apprehend the real perpetrators of violence, warning that such actions threaten democratic expression in Edo State.
Osa-Ogbegie accused the Monday Okpebholo-led administration of failing to address worsening insecurity in Ekpoma and its environs, which he said has been left vulnerable to kidnappers and violent criminals.
He described the government’s response as incompetent and authoritarian, arguing that:
“Only a government afraid of accountability would criminalise civic protest.”
Parts of the statement read: “The arrest and continued detention of peaceful protesters, many of them students, exposes the true character of the APC government in Edo State; brutal towards citizens, timid before criminals, and hostile to democratic expression.”
The PDP reiterated its opposition to kidnapping and killings, calling for the dismantling of criminal networks operating unchecked across Ekpoma and neighbouring communities.
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Tension had gripped Ekpoma after a protest over rising insecurity turned violent on Saturday, the 10th of January, 2026, following reports that miscreants hijacked the demonstration.
Traders at a local livestock market were attacked, and the palace of the Onojie of Ekpoma, Zaiki Anthony Abumere II, was vandalised in an incident condemned by Governor Okpebholo.
The protest was initially sparked by public outrage over persistent kidnappings and the killing of a youth on Friday night, the 9th of January, 2026, Residents had blocked a major highway to press their demands, but the situation escalated when hoodlums took over the demonstration.
Confirming the incident, Edo State Police Command spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, said one person was shot by a soldier, adding that the case had been handed over to military authorities for investigation.