- Safiu Kehinde
Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, as met with the management of the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, over the arrest of 52 students allegedly involved in the violent anti-kidnapping protest.
NPO Reported that the students were apprehended in their respective hostels on Monday in a joint operation by the Edo Police Command and other security agencies.
While Okpebholo had earlier defended the arrest of the students who were immediately arraigned and remanded, the governor visited the campus on Tuesday, meeting the institution’s management as well as the Student Union Government’s (SUG) President, Osadebamen Michael.
As disclosed in a statement issued on his official X handle, Okpebholo said he had met with the AAU management and the SUG leadership to review the security situation in their host community as well as the students’ arrest.
The governor, in the statement, maintained that he has nothing against the arrested students, disclosing that he has issued a directive for the identification and release of genuine students arrested in the course of what he labelled restoration of order.
Okpebholo condemned the violent demonstration during the weekend, vowing to brin anyone found culpable of sponsoring or using hoodlums to destabilize Edo communities.
The governor further assured residents of ongoing efforts by security operatives in dismantling the criminal networks across the state.