By Adesakin Adefemi
In a swift security reshuffle, Edo State Police Commissioner Monday Agbonika has ordered the reorganisation of the Ekpoma Police Division and appointed CSP Tomofe Nwabueze as the new Divisional Police Officer (DPO) with immediate effect.
The move comes after a violent turn in a peaceful protest over kidnapping and insecurity in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area, on Saturday, January 10. Residents initially blocked a major highway to demand safety, but the demonstration was later hijacked by hoodlums who vandalised the Onojie of Ekpoma’s palace and attacked a livestock market scenes captured in viral videos.
The statement, released Tuesday by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, said: “The Edo State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that as part of ongoing security assessment and strategic repositioning in Ekpoma, the Commissioner of Police has ordered the reorganisation of the Ekpoma Division.” Ikoedem added that one civilian was shot by a soldier during the unrest, and the case has been referred to military authorities for investigation.
The crisis began when a youth was killed on Friday night, sparking community outrage. Protesters, initially students and residents, demanded action against kidnappings that have terrorised Ekpoma for months, including the abduction and murder of an Ambrose Alli University (AAU) student.
Instead of addressing the grievances, police raided student hostels, arresting youths — many in nightwear and charging them with armed robbery, malicious damage, and arson. NANS and NAPS have denounced the arrests as “fabricated” and “politically motivated,” noting no forensic or video evidence links the students to violence.
National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) warned that “peaceful protest is not a crime,” demanding unconditional release of all detainees and calling for Agbonika’s removal for “failure of intelligence and command.” NAPS echoed this, urging Governor Monday Okpebholo to personally intervene and launch an intelligence‑led security strategy to tackle kidnapping a crisis that has forced schools to close and families to pay ransoms The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State also called for immediate release of the 52 students, describing their detention as “oppressive, unlawful, and a clear abuse of authority.”
A NANS verification committee is reviewing the list of detainees. Preliminary findings suggest many are not students at all, and legal counsel has filed bail for Feb 26. Meanwhile, Edo State has begun steps to free “bona fide” AAU students, with Commissioner for Education Dr Paddy Iyamu visiting the Ubiaja Correctional Centre to oversee release once procedures are complete.
Iyamu assured that genuine AAU students would walk free after all processes are perfected, adding that the protest was instigated by a group known as the Comrade Association former students who allegedly co‑opted youths to cause mayhem.
Civil‑society groups, including SERAP, have condemned the detention as a violation of fundamental rights and urged due process. Human‑rights advocates warn that continued repression may provoke nationwide student unrest, diverting attention from the real fight dismantling criminal networks terrorising Edo’s streets.
Rights activist Derrick Agberen has urged Governor Okpebholo to order the immediate and unconditional release of the students, noting that even kidnappers in their safe havens do not receive such unjust treatment.
The 52 detainees were remanded after a Benin High Court ruled it lacked jurisdiction and directed defence counsel to file bail at the Ubiaja High Court. Tension remains high in Ekpoma, with protests looming and calls for NANS to escalate from statements to legal action and mass mobilisation.
Parents and guardians have publicly pleaded for the students’ release, stressing that jailing them won’t stop kidnappers it will only erode public trust. One parent said: “These children were only asking to be protected. Locking them up will not stop kidnappers; it will only destroy trust in government.”
As the standoff continues, student leaders vow to “escalate lawfully until every innocent walks free and every kidnapper is brought to justice.” The incident has become a national flashpoint, symbolising the clash between civic protest and state power and the urgent need for security reform in Edo State.
