On January 12, 2026, a Benin High Court remanded 52 individuals—including numerous students from Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma—to the Ubiaja Correctional Centre.
The group faces charges of malicious damage and armed robbery stemming from a protest against rampant kidnappings that authorities say descended into violence.
The demonstration, which began peacefully over the weekend, was triggered by a surge in abductions plaguing the community.
Residents and students described a terrifying reality where kidnappers operate with impunity, demanding exorbitant ransoms—sometimes as high as ₦200 million—and frequently killing victims who cannot pay.
One chilling incident captured on CCTV showed a fresh abduction occurring just a day after the protest, underscoring claims that the area has become more dangerous than some active war zones.
What started as a cry for basic safety quickly escalated when, according to reports, criminal elements hijacked the march.
Shops were looted, roads blocked with burning tyres, and the palace of the Onojie of Ekpoma, Zaiki Anthony Abumere II, was vandalised—an act swiftly condemned by Governor Monday Okpebholo.
In response, police launched coordinated midnight raids on student hostels across Ekpoma around 3 a.m., arresting many while they slept.
Suspects were paraded in court and remanded pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions, with the case adjourned to February 26, 2026.
Bail applications were redirected to the Ubiaja High Court, as Justice William Aziegbemi cited jurisdictional limits.
The arrests have ignited widespread outrage online, where netizens accuse the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal and state governments of monumental failure.
Posts flooded with heartbreak videos and images of the young detainees—many tearfully shown being transported—have gone viral under hashtags like #FreeAAU52, #FreeAAUStudents, and #EkpomaIsBleeding.
Users describe the scene as “heartbreaking” and question if demanding protection from kidnappers is now a crime.
One widely shared sentiment captures the irony: protesters seeking safety from criminals end up jailed while abductors remain at large.
Activists, student bodies like the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), and groups such as the Take-It-Back Movement have condemned the crackdown as an abuse of power and intimidation of dissent.
Prominent voices, including activist Omoyele Sowore, have called it criminalization of peaceful protest and urged resistance against what they see as oppression.
The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) demanded immediate unconditional release, branding the APC administration “brutal towards citizens, timid before criminals.”
This incident has amplified a broader national narrative of despair over insecurity.
Many Nigerians now openly declare that even countries embroiled in active conflict feel safer than parts of Nigeria under current leadership.
The frustration ties directly to perceived APC shortcomings in addressing root causes like poverty, unemployment, porous borders, and inadequate policing—failures that have allowed banditry, insurgency, and kidnappings to flourish across regions.
As Ekpoma remains tense and the detained students await their fate, the episode serves as a stark reminder of deepening public disillusionment.
Calls for genuine security reforms, protection of protest rights, and accountability grow louder, with many warning that repressing voices demanding safety only erodes trust further in an already fragile system.
For now, the streets may be quieter, but the anger online and in communities simmers, waiting for real change.
Follow the Parallel Facts channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaCQSAoHgZWiDjR3Kn2E