BENIN CITY – Tension has reached a breaking point in Edo State as the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo faces damning allegations of human rights abuses following the mass arrest and arraignment of over 100 students from Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma.
The Midnight Raid and Arraignment
Sources confirm that the Edo State Police Command conducted a massive raid on off-campus hostels on Sunday night, leading to the detention of over 150 students.
By Monday morning, at least 100 of these students were hauled before a State High Court.
Among those reportedly imprisoned by the court’s order is the Financial Secretary of the AAU Students Union Government (SUG).
The SUG leadership has characterized the arrests as a “indiscriminate sweep,” claiming many of the detained students were picked up from their beds and had no involvement in the recent street protests.
*Allegations of Extrajudicial Violence*
The crackdown follows a wave of protests by students demanding an end to the “horrendous” insecurity, kidnapping, and killing of students in the Ekpoma axis.
However, the situation turned bloody when security forces allegedly opened fire on the demonstrators.
The SUG President, popularly known as Comrade Lifted, revealed that the protest resulted in the shooting of at least two students. One victim, reportedly shot by personnel of the Nigerian Army, is currently undergoing emergency surgery.
”Myself and a few comrades visited the victim in the hospital and provided N50,000 to support his surgery,” Comrade Lifted stated. He further alleged that student leaders are now being hunted: “Most of the AAU comrades are on a police watch list, especially myself and a few others.”
Political Motives?
While the students insist their agitation is strictly about the insecurity and kidnappings plaguing the community, reports suggest the government’s heavy-handed response was triggered by the destruction of President Bola Tinubu’s campaign posters and billboards during the unrest.
The Governor has been accused of prioritizing political optics over the lives of the students. Critics argue that instead of deploying technology and tactical units to hunt kidnappers in the bush, the state has turned its might against unarmed students in their hostels.
*Humanitarian Crisis in Ekpoma*
The university community remains in a state of shock as many students have gone into hiding for fear of being the next “target” in the ongoing police raids. Families of the detained students are currently besieging the State CID at the police headquarters, demanding the release of their children who they insist are being framed for crimes they did not commit.
Neither the Edo State Government nor the State Police Command has issued an official rebuttal to the allegations of “targeted killings” as of the time of this report.
