Edo Governor Monday Okpebholo clears Ambrose Alli University students of Ekpoma unrest, blaming outsiders and ordering release of any wrongly arrested students
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has disassociated Ambrose Alli University (AAU) students from the recent violent unrest in Ekpoma, attributing the incident to a group calling themselves the “Ambrose Alli Comrade Community.”
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Speaking during a meeting with the AAU Students’ Union Government (SUG) on Tuesday in Benin, the governor described the events as a criminal act carried out by non-students hiding around the institution to foment trouble and extort students.
“These are people who are no longer students but are just hanging around the school, causing trouble and extorting students. We will put an end to that,” Okpebholo said, adding that any genuine students arrested during the unrest would be released promptly.
The governor also dismissed claims of kidnapping linked to the incident, describing them as staged to mislead the public and create ethnic tension.
“The kidnapping they are talking about is fake. It was stage-managed. They were arranging to kidnap and release themselves. They even went as far as killing someone, which is the most painful part,” he stated.
Okpebholo condemned the destruction of property in Ekpoma, warning that anyone found sponsoring or using hoodlums to destabilise Edo communities would face justice, regardless of political affiliation.
The SUG President, Comrade Osadebamen Michael, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Prof. Andrew Eromonsele, reaffirmed that AAU students were not involved and that no arrests occurred on campus.
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The meeting was also attended by Edo State Commissioner for Education, Dr Paddy Iyamu.
