THE Edo State High Court, Criminal Court 2, has ordered the remand of several youths arrested during the recent protest in Ekpoma at the Ubiaja Correctional Centre.
The order followed a request by the prosecution seeking a 14-day remand to allow for further investigations.
Emotional scenes played out at the court premises as some of the protesters and their relatives broke down in tears while the accused were being taken into a waiting vehicle.
The protest, which took place over the weekend, was organised by youths in Ekpoma, located in Esan West Local Government Area, to express frustration over the rising cases of kidnapping and insecurity in the town.
Videos that circulated online showed residents from the Edo Central region demonstrating against the surge in abductions and killings, while some individuals suspected to be cattle breeders were seen fleeing a local market as protesters arrived.
Police authorities, however, said the protest was later hijacked.
In a statement, the Edo State Police Command explained that officers were initially deployed to ensure the demonstration remained peaceful and lawful.
According to the police, the situation escalated when protesters allegedly ignored the rules guiding peaceful assembly, leading to vandalism, looting, and destruction of property.
The statement also confirmed that a military personnel discharged a firearm during the unrest, resulting in one protester being shot.
Following the escalation, the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, led additional tactical teams from the state headquarters in Benin to Ekpoma to regain control.
The police said normalcy was restored through coordinated security operations and crowd control measures, while individuals suspected to have engaged in violence, vandalism, and looting were arrested. Investigations, the police added, are ongoing.
The police further disclosed that the Commissioner of Police visited a 32-year-old man, identified as Osagie Abraham, who sustained gunshot injuries during the protest and is currently receiving treatment at a medical facility in Ekpoma.
An investigation into the shooting has been ordered, and the military personnel involved has been identified and reported to the appropriate authorities for disciplinary action.
While reaffirming that peaceful protest is a constitutional right, the police stressed that demonstrations must be conducted responsibly and without infringing on the rights and safety of others.
The command also assured residents that intensified intelligence-led operations and strategic patrols were being deployed to curb kidnapping and other crimes across Edo State.
Meanwhile, concerns over insecurity persist, with some residents alleging that herders settled in remote communities are responsible for attacks on villagers.
The Convener of the Esan Worldwide Community, Aigbokhan Oseremen, has called on the state government to require permits for outsiders seeking to reside in local communities, alleging that some of the herders pose serious security threats.
Responding to the concerns, the Edo State Government said decisive steps were being taken to address insecurity.
Governor Monday Okpebholo assured residents that his administration had invested heavily in modern security equipment, intelligence gathering, and inter-agency collaboration to tackle kidnapping, cultism, and other criminal activities.
He declared that there would be no safe haven for criminals in the state and urged citizens to support security agencies by sharing useful information and refusing to shield offenders.