Wetin dey happun for Ekpoma wey make police arrest, remand 52 suspects for prison custody?

Di recent arrest and remand of 52 protesters for Ekpoma to prison custody sake of dia protest against di many incidents of kidnapping wey dey happun for di area dey make pipo para.

Ekpoma dey Esan West Local govment area of Edo State and e don see many incidents of kidnapping.

Sake of di rate of kidnapping for communities in Edo Central Senatorial District, di Edo State govment say make schools for di area neva resume for di second term of di 2025/2026 academic session.

One viral cctv footage capture how armed men take enta once house for Ekpoma gbab dia victim immediately after e drive into im compound, park im motor and dem carry am comot.

Also di kidnap and killing of one young man wey happun on 9 January, 2026 for Ekpoma na im trigger protests for di area.

E make Edo State Govnor, Monday Okpebholo, say e dey sad and disturbed by di kidnapping and killing of di young man and so e direct security personnel to investigate am.

"Dis tragic incident dey heartbreaking, and I extend my sincere condolences to di victim family, friends, and di entire Ekpoma community during dis very painful time.” E tok.

Tori be say students of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, dey among di 52 pesins wey police remand for Ubiaja Correctional Centre for malicious damage and armed robbery by di Benin High Court.

Presiding Judge, Justice William Aziegbemi, on Monday 12 January 2026, say e lack jurisdiction and ask di lawyer wey dey represent di defendants to file bail applications for di Ubiaja High Court.

E come adjourn di case to 26 February, 2026 for hearing.

Dem arraign di suspects through an exparte motion filed by police counsel, P. O Odion.

After di verdict, relatives of di suspects burst into tears begin cry as dem lead dem inside black Maria van wey carry dem go di Correctional centre.

For di video wey don spread for social media, some of di relatives say most of di suspects wey be University students of Ambrose Alli University dey innocent and dem no suppose arrest dem sake of say dem protest against kidnapping and insecurity for di area.

Some of di suspects say di police come arrest some of di students from dia hostel wia some of dem bin dey sleep.

Dem say di arrests no even happun during di protest - dem call for dia unconditional release as nobody make any complaint against dem.

Wetin lead to di protests for Ekpoma?

On Monday 5 January, 2026, some youths for di community wia Ambrose Alli University AAU dey for Edo State, protest against di rising cases of kidnapping.

One of di leaders of di protest, Andrew Oziegbe tell tori pipo say di response of relevant authorities to di security challenges for di area dey no dey enof.

E call for urgent govment intervention to check di growing wave of kidnappings and restore confidence among residents and students.

Di group say dem be students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, and dem bin don announce plans for a peaceful protest.

According to dem, di decision follow a recent abduction of one Akhabhe Favour and anoda unnamed former student union leader of di university.

Di incidents increase dia concerns over di safety of students in and around di university town wey make di students decide to protest.

However, management of Ambrose Alli University bin distance di institution and dia students from di protest.

Otunba Mike Ade Aladenika wey be di tok-tok pesin of di university say those wey do di protest no be registered students of di institution and dem no get di authorization or right to represent di university.

How Police respond?

Edo State Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Agbonika, personally supervise heavy deployment of personnel for Ekpoma, wit di Commander Mechanized 4 Brigade, Brigadier General Ahmed Olatunboju Balogun.

Police tok-tok pesin for Edo statement on Monday 2026 explain say dem join bodi wit oda security agencies including di Nigeria Army to tackle di issue of kidnapping and oda criminal activities.

ASP Eno Ikoedem confam di arrest of 52 pipo wey dem accuse of disruption of a peaceful protest for Ekpoma.

E claim say di suspects allegedly involve for "violent acts of vandalism, assault occasioning harm, looting, rioting, cruelty to animals among oda acts, wey cause disorder, and undermine public safety."

As to di concerns over di kidnapping and insecurity for di area, ASP Ikoedem for anoda statement explain say di Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, CP Monday Agbonika, don order di reorganisation of di Ekpoma Division, and approve di posting of CSP Tomofe Nwabueze to assume office as di new DPO with immediate effect.

Meanwhile, National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, dey demand di immediate and unconditional release of 52 students of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State wey dey remanded in prison custody by a court.