The Edo State Government has announced that the 38 students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, arrested during last weekend's protest will be released. This development comes as the state authorities move to restore normalcy to the university town following unrest that turned violent.
Government Confirms Release and Academic Resumption
In a significant update, the State Commissioner for Education, Paddy Iyamu, confirmed the impending release of the detained students. He revealed that while some students were freed on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, the remaining ones would regain their freedom on Wednesday, January 14, 2026.
Iyamu made this announcement during an interview on Channels Television's Sunrise Daily programme on Wednesday. He detailed the government's efforts, stating, "We didn’t sleep till 1 a.m. this morning, trying to release the students. Altogether, we are releasing about 38 students."
Furthermore, the Commissioner disclosed that Governor Monday Okpebholo has approved the resumption of academic activities at the institution. "We have released the communiqué this morning. Students are to return to school on Monday. The schools resume in the central on Monday because normalcy has been restored," Iyamu stated.
Governor Points to External Sponsorship of Unrest
Governor Okpebholo has attributed the violent turn of the protest to external influences. He claimed that the demonstration, which began as a peaceful outcry against rising kidnappings and killings in Esan West Local Government Area, was sponsored from overseas by opposition elements.
The Governor asserted that security agencies had identified masterminds behind what he described as coordinated protests aimed at destabilising the Edo State Government. He clarified that most arrests were connected to acts of violence and vandalism, not peaceful dissent.
"The governor is even still in the general area, trying to make sure that the peace is sustained, and so far, normalcy has been restored. Security agencies are doing a lot," Commissioner Iyamu added, highlighting the ongoing security efforts in Ekpoma.
Political Reactions and Call for Dialogue
The arrest of the students has drawn reactions from political figures. Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan condemned the initial arrest of 52 AAU students, advocating for dialogue between the government and the youth instead of detention.
She urged the Edo State government to focus on tackling the root cause of the protest—the pervasive insecurity and kidnappings in the region—rather than suppressing the legitimate concerns of the youth. The protest, which led to vandalism and looting in parts of Ekpoma, underscores the heightened tensions surrounding security challenges in the south-south state.
With the release of the students and the scheduled resumption of classes, the government aims to de-escalate the situation. However, the underlying issues of security and the allegations of politically motivated sponsorship of the violence remain central to the discourse in Edo State.
