Edo State High Court sitting in Criminal Court 2 on Monday ordered the remand of several youths arrested during the recent protest in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of the state, directing that they be held at the Ubiaja Correctional Centre pending further proceedings.
The court’s decision followed an application by the prosecution seeking a 14-day remand to allow for continued investigation into the protest, which disrupted activities in the university town and drew widespread attention across Edo State.
The ruling sparked emotional scenes in the courtroom, as some of the arrested protesters and their relatives burst into tears while the youths were escorted into a waiting vehicle under security watch.
The protest erupted last weekend when angry youths took to the streets of Ekpoma to express frustration over the rising cases of kidnapping and other forms of insecurity in the area, which they said had made residents live in fear.
Videos that later went viral on social media showed residents in parts of Edo Central staging demonstrations against alleged kidnappings and killings, with some footage capturing people suspected to be cattle breeders fleeing a market upon sighting the protesters.
Reacting to the incident, the Edo State Police Command said the protest was initially peaceful but later “hijacked”, leading to vandalism, looting of property and other acts of violence, prompting swift intervention by security agencies.
In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikoedem, the command said the Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Agbonika, fdc, deployed additional tactical reinforcements from the state headquarters in Benin, adding that normalcy was restored through coordinated crowd-control measures.
The police also confirmed that a youth, identified as 32-year-old Osagie Abraham, was shot during the protest and is currently receiving medical treatment, noting that the military personnel involved in the shooting has been identified and reported to appropriate authorities for disciplinary action.
While reiterating that peaceful protest is a constitutional right, the police stressed that demonstrations must be conducted responsibly, even as it assured residents that intensified intelligence-led operations were being deployed to curb kidnapping and other crimes in Ekpoma and across Edo State.
Meanwhile, the Edo State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to security, with Governor Monday Okpebholo declaring that there would be “no hiding place for perpetrators” of kidnapping and other criminal activities, as he urged residents to support security agencies with credible information.
