The Executive Governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, has reiterated that the recent unrest in Ekpoma was not organised by students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), describing the incident as a criminal act carried out by non-students exploiting the university environment.

The Governor made this clarification on Tuesday during a meeting with the President of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of AAU, where issues surrounding the disturbance, arrests, and prevailing security concerns were discussed.

According to Governor Okpebholo, intelligence reports available to the Edo State Government indicate that the violence was orchestrated by individuals operating under the guise of the “Ambrose Alli Comrade Community”—a group allegedly made up of former students and non-students who loiter around the institution to foment trouble and extort law-abiding 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. These are people who are no longer students but are just hanging around the school, causing trouble and extorting students. We will put an end to that,” the Governor said.

Governor Orders Release of Innocent Students

Governor Okpebholo assured the SUG leadership that any genuine students arrested during security operations to restore order would be promptly identified and released.

“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. The protest was not theirs. In fact, it was not a protest at all; it was an avenue to loot,” he added.

The Governor also dismissed reports of kidnapping linked to the unrest, describing the claims as false and stage-managed to mislead the public and inflame tensions.

“The kidnapping they are talking about is fake. It was stage-managed. They were arranging to kidnap and release themselves. They even went as far as killing someone, which is the most painful part,” he said.

Warning to Sponsors of Violence

Condemning the burning of markets and destruction of property in Ekpoma, Governor Okpebholo issued a stern warning to anyone—regardless of political affiliation—found sponsoring hoodlums or criminal activities in Edo communities.

“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. We know ourselves, and we will bring those responsible to book to ensure justice for our people,” he declared.

He further stressed that the Edo State Government has no grievances with AAU students, noting that the university remains closed and that no arrests were carried out within the campus.

SUG, AAU Management Debunk Student Involvement

Speaking on behalf of the students, SUG President, Comrade Osadebamen Ehizogie Michael, described attempts to link the unrest to students as unfortunate.

“It is pitiable that some people want to associate what happened with students. We are here to formally debunk that students did not organise any protest. His Excellency, Governor Monday Okpebholo, has been in touch with us and has assured us that any students among those arrested will be released,” he said.

Also speaking, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) of AAU, Prof. Andrew Eromonsele, confirmed that no arrests were made within the university campus, further distancing the institution from the unrest.

The meeting was attended by the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Paddy Iyamu.

The Edo State Government reaffirmed its commitment to protecting students, restoring peace in Ekpoma, and ensuring that criminal elements exploiting the university environment are decisively dealt with in accordance with the law.