Edo Government Alleges Diaspora-Funded Plot Behind Ekpoma Violence

The Edo State Government has claimed that the recent unrest in Ekpoma was not a peaceful protest but a coordinated riot allegedly financed by Nigerians living abroad, including individuals based in Russia and other overseas locations.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo said intelligence reports showed that the violence was premeditated and aimed at destabilising parts of the state. According to the government, those behind the plan allegedly contacted local collaborators to organise simultaneous disturbances in Ekpoma, Auchi, Irrua and even around the Government House in Benin City, with funds sourced from the diaspora.

The government dismissed circulating social media reports on the incident as false and misleading, describing them as part of a deliberate misinformation campaign. It said security agencies had identified key organisers and that arrests were based on evidence, including video footage allegedly showing acts of arson and vandalism.

Addressing claims that Ambrose Alli University (AAU) students were targeted, the government said those arrested in connection with the violence were identified as students based on available information. It noted that the university was already closed at the time of the incident and that students had vacated their hostels. Officials added that some suspects were intercepted while allegedly heading towards the campus to destroy property.

Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) condemned the detention of 52 AAU students arrested after protests over kidnapping and insecurity in the area. NANS described the continued detention as unacceptable, insisting that peaceful protest is a constitutional right and demanding the immediate and unconditional release of the students.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) also appealed to the Edo State Government and relevant authorities to release the detained students, warning against the suppression of civic rights.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar similarly criticised the detention, stating that students have the right to protest against insecurity. He argued that the alleged hijacking of the protest by hoodlums should not justify the continued incarceration of students.

In response, the Edo State Government announced plans to release bona fide AAU students who were remanded in a correctional facility. The Commissioner for Education said steps were already being taken to secure their release, adding that the violence was allegedly orchestrated by a group made up largely of former students.

Separately, the Edo State Police Command has redeployed the Divisional Police Officer in Ekpoma and appointed a new officer to head the division, a move linked to broader efforts to address rising insecurity in the area.