Monday Okpebholo, governor of Edo, has directed that students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, detained after a recent protest, be released.
On Saturday, residents of Ekpoma and nearby communities marched against rising cases of kidnapping in the area.
The protest, which included AAU students, later turned violent, with reports that military personnel shot and injured a demonstrator identified as Osagie Abraham.
Following the unrest, a high court in the state ordered the remand of 52 protesters who were taken into custody.
According to Patrick Egbojele, the governor’s chief press secretary, Okpebholo issued the release directive after a meeting with the leadership of the university’s students’ union government.
The governor said intelligence available to the state government indicated that the violence was triggered by non-students who roam the campus surroundings and harass students.
“I have met with the SUG president of AAU Ekpoma. We had a very lengthy discussion, and as I have consistently said, this was not a students’ protest,” he was quoted as saying.
“These are people who are no longer students but are just hanging around the school, causing trouble and extorting students.”
Okpebholo said that any legitimate student in custody would be released immediately.
“For students who were probably arrested, we will look into it and get them released to the SUG president. That is a promise I made, and I will do it as quickly as possible,” he stated.
“I don’t care whether you are a politician or not. If you are using people to destroy our land and economy, we will go after you.”
The governor stressed that the state has no issue with AAU students and noted that no arrests took place on campus.
Benjamin Hundeyin, police spokesperson, said the inspector-general of police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has instructed the Edo commissioner of police, Monday Agbonika, to screen those detained and identify “genuine students”.
Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, Hundeyin said only those found culpable after thorough investigation would face prosecution.
“The inspector-general of police has instructed the commissioner of police to identify those who are genuinely students,” he said on Tuesday night.