INSECURITY — NOT STUDENTS — IS THE REAL CRISIS: NAPS DEMANDS RELEASE OF DETAINED AAU STUDENTS, SACKING OF EDO STATE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE

By Adesakin Adefemi 

The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has issued a strongly worded press release condemning the arrest and continued detention of 52 Ambrose Alli University (AAU) students after a peaceful protest against escalating kidnappings in Ekpoma. In a statement signed by NAPS National President Comrade Eshiofune Paul Oghayan, the union declared: “We stand in unwavering solidarity with our brothers and sisters at AAU. These are not criminals they are scholars who took to the streets because the government failed to protect them.” The protest, held on Saturday, January 10, 2026, was sparked by a wave of abductions including the murder of an AAU student and followed repeated warnings from student leaders to Edo State authorities.

NAPS denounced the “random and indiscriminate” arrests, noting no video, photographic, or forensic evidence links the students to vandalism or violence. Charges of armed robbery, malicious damage and arson brought by Edo State Police Commissioner Monday Agbonika are described as “fabricated” and “politically motivated,” echoing condemnation from the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and civil‑society groups. NANS, in its own statement, called the detention “ridiculous, unacceptable, and deeply disturbing,” insisting that peaceful protest is a constitutional right and should never be met with repression.

The union accused Agbonika of gross failure of intelligence and command, unable to differentiate peaceful demonstrators from criminal elements. Continued detention, NAPS warned, deepens public distrust and risks further unrest, urging an immediate shift to intelligence‑driven, community‑focused policing. In light of the “gross mishandling,” NAPS formally calls for Agbonika’s immediate removal, a demand backed by NANS, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo, and human‑rights groups, who describe the arrests as an abuse of power and a violation of fundamental rights.

Three core demands are laid out: unconditional and immediate release of all 52 detained AAU students; sacking of Commissioner Agbonika for “failure of leadership and professional judgment”; and launch of a coordinated, intelligence‑led security strategy to tackle kidnapping across Edo State  a crisis that has forced schools to delay reopening and left families paying ransoms. NAPS acknowledged Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo’s efforts and urged him to personally intervene, stressing that continued detention serves neither justice nor peace.

“We will not be silenced,” Oghayan declared, “and we will escalate lawfully until every innocent student walks free and every kidnapper is brought to justice.” The union also calls on Nigerian students, civil‑society groups, and all stakeholders to unite in solidarity  demanding accountability, security, and an end to the criminalisation of dissent. Parents and guardians have equally raised concerns, calling for the immediate release of the detained students, noting that locking them up will not stop kidnappers it will only destroy trust in government.

Meanwhile, a NANS verification committee is reviewing the detainee list preliminary findings suggest many are not students at all  and legal counsel has filed a bail application for Feb 26, though unions argue the students should never have been jailed. The 52 students were remanded at the Ubiaja Correctional Centre after a Benin High Court ruled it lacked jurisdiction and directed defence counsel to file bail at the Ubiaja High Court.

Tension is high in Ekpoma as protests loom. NAPS and allied groups warn that continued repression may provoke nationwide student action diverting attention from the real fight - dismantling criminal networks and restoring safety to Edo’s streets. “Insecurity not students is the problem,” the release concludes. “Let the innocent be freed, the incompetent step aside, and let security be rebuilt with the people’s trust at its heart.” The Socio‑Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has also joined the call, describing the detention as a violation of fundamental rights and urging authorities to respect due process.