A Benin High Court on Monday ordered the remand of 52 persons, including students of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, at the Ubiaja Correctional Centre on allegations of armed robbery and willful destruction of property.
Justice William Aziegbemi, who presided over the matter, held that his court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the bail applications and advised defence lawyers to approach the Ubiaja High Court for further action.
The case was adjourned till February 26, 2026.
The suspects were brought before the court pursuant to an ex parte motion filed by police prosecutor P.O. Odion.
Emotions ran high outside the courtroom as families watched the defendants being herded into a waiting Black Maria.
One distraught father, Abdulsalam, whose two sons were among the detainees, insisted they did not take part in the unrest.
Some defence lawyers dismissed the allegations as excessive and unfounded.
Counsel Wisdom Isaac argued that there had been no formal complaint linking any of the defendants to the alleged offences, while Ejemi Etinbowei maintained that students were not behind the protest, noting that residents had mobilised after the body of a kidnap victim was discovered in the bush on Friday.
Many of the arraigned students also claimed innocence, saying they were forcibly picked up from their hostels at about 3am.
“We were sleeping when they broke into the hostel,” one undergraduate who declined to be named told our correspondent.
“I never joined the march or touched anybody’s property.”
Ekpoma has been tense since an initially peaceful demonstration against insecurity on Saturday degenerated into chaos.
Criminal elements reportedly hijacked the protest, disrupted commercial activities, set up roadblocks using burning tyres and vandalised the palace of the Onojie of Ekpoma, Zaiki Anthony Abumere II, an attack strongly condemned by Governor Monday Okpebholo.
Police sources said the suspects were rounded up at different points across the town following the disturbances.