Benin City — The Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has ordered the release of the protesters he described as innocent and genuine students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), arrested during the protest against kidnapping in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.
This is even as he insisted that the protest was not organised by AAU students, describing the incident as a criminal act carried out by non-students hiding around the institution to foment trouble and extort law-abiding students.
The governor disclosed this in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Patrick Ebojele, on Tuesday during a meeting with the AAU's Students' Union Government (SUG) President, Osadebamen Ehizogie Michael.
"Intelligence available to us shows that the incident was orchestrated by a group identifying themselves as the "Ambrose Alli Comrade Community," made up of individuals who are no longer students but loiter around the school environment for unlawful activities.
"Any genuine students who may have been arrested in the course of restoring order would be identified and released without delay.
"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," he said.
