No fewer than 52 persons, including students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Edo State, have been remanded at the Ubiaja Correctional Centre by a Benin High Court over alleged malicious damage and armed robbery.
The presiding judge, Justice William Aziegbemi, on Monday ruled that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter and directed defence counsel to file bail applications at the Ubiaja High Court.
Justice Aziegbemi adjourned the case to February 26, 2026, for further proceedings.
The suspects were arraigned through an ex parte motion filed by police counsel, P. O. Odion.
Following the ruling, emotional scenes unfolded in court as relatives of the defendants burst into tears while the suspects were escorted into a Black Maria van and taken to prison custody.
One of the parents, who identified himself as Abdulsalam and said two of his sons were among those arrested, insisted that his children were not involved in the protest that led to the arrests.
Counsel representing some of the suspects described the charges of malicious damage and armed robbery as “bogus.”
One of the defence lawyers, Wisdom Isaac, argued that no formal complaints were made against the accused persons, while another counsel, Ejemi Etinbowei, said the students neither organised nor participated in the protest.
Etinbowei claimed the protest was initiated by the family of a kidnap victim whose body was discovered in a bush last Friday.
Several of the detained students said they were arrested in their hostels at about 3 a.m. and transported in a Black Maria van to Benin for arraignment.
One of the students, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “Most of us were arrested around 3 a.m. while we were asleep in our hostels. I was not involved in any protest or looting.”
The area has, however, been tense since a peaceful protest against insecurity held on Saturday turned violent after hoodlums allegedly hijacked the demonstration.
The hoodlums reportedly attacked traders, set tyres ablaze on the road to block vehicular movement, and vandalised the palace of the Onojie of Ekpoma, Zaiki Anthony Abumere II.
The attack on the monarch’s palace was widely condemned by Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo.
It was gathered that the suspects were arrested at various locations in Ekpoma.
