Nigeria’s former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has strongly criticised the arrest and continued detention of 52 students of Ambrose Alli University, a public tertiary institution located in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, southern Nigeria, following a protest against rising insecurity in the community.
The protest, which took place on Saturday in Ekpoma, a university town in Edo State, was initially organised as a peaceful demonstration by students and residents demanding better security. However, the situation later deteriorated after unidentified hoodlums reportedly hijacked the protest, attacking traders, vandalising property, and setting tyres on major roads to obstruct vehicular movement.
In a statement published on Tuesday through his verified account on X, formerly known as Twitter, Atiku Abubakar, who served as Nigeria’s Vice President from 1999 to 2007, described the arrests as a troubling sign of intolerance by the administration of Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“The level of intolerance and high-handedness of the Bola Tinubu administration is concerning. It is unacceptable that the authorities’ response to students’ protest against insecurity in the Ekpoma area of Edo State is to arrest and detain dozens of students of the Ambrose Alli University,” Atiku said.
He further stressed that peaceful protest is a fundamental democratic right protected under Nigeria’s Constitution and supported by judicial precedent. According to him, the core responsibility of government remains the protection and welfare of citizens.
“The right to protest is not only enshrined in the Constitution but has also been validated by the courts. The primary responsibility of government is the security and welfare of the citizens,” he added.
Atiku also criticised what he described as misplaced priorities in tackling insecurity across the country, arguing that greater effort should be directed toward combating violent crimes rather than arresting protesters.
“If the energy with which innocent students and citizens are arrested for raising concerns about insecurity were deployed to fighting terrorism and banditry, instead of negotiating with the criminals, our communities would be safer,” he stated.
Okay News reports that the 52 students were among a group remanded at the Ubiaja Correctional Centre following an order by the Edo State High Court sitting in Benin City, the capital of Edo State. The students were arraigned on charges that included malicious damage and armed robbery.
During proceedings on Monday, the presiding judge, Justice William Aziegbemi, ruled that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter and instructed defence lawyers to file fresh bail applications at the Ubiaja High Court. The case was adjourned until Wednesday, February 26, 2026, for further hearing.
Several affected students later alleged that they were arrested around 3:00 am while asleep in their hostels and transported in a Black Maria vehicle to Benin City for arraignment.
The violence that followed the protest reportedly included attacks on traders, road blockades, and the vandalisation of the palace of the Onojie of Ekpoma, Zaiki Anthony Abumere the Second, the traditional ruler of the Ekpoma Kingdom. Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, condemned the destruction of the palace and the broader violence.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, also condemned the arrests, describing them as an attempt to suppress democratic expression. “We demand their immediate release from detention,” she said in a solidarity statement issued on Tuesday.
Similarly, the National Association of Nigerian Students criticised the continued detention, describing the situation as “ridiculous, unacceptable, and deeply disturbing,” while insisting that students exercising their constitutional right to peaceful protest should not be subjected to intimidation or psychological trauma.
However, the Edo State Government rejected claims that the incident was a protest, insisting instead that the unrest was a coordinated riot aimed at destabilising the state. The government also denied that those arrested were students of Ambrose Alli University or that arrests took place inside student hostels.
