No fewer than 52 students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, and other arrested youths have been remanded in a correctional facility after the police operatives raided hostels in Ekpoma following protest in the Esan West LGA of Edo State on Saturday.

The students were charged to court immediately after they were arrested for taking part in the protests against escalating killings and kidnappings in the state.

Arrested students, who spoke to journalists at the court premises on Monday, revealed that the police operatives stormed their hostels in the middle of the night and started picking them indiscriminately.

“They stormed our hostels at night and started arresting students anyhow,” one of the students said. “A number of students arrested did not even partake in the protests.”

A copy of the application filed at the High Court of Justice in the state, on Monday, indicated that the police were seeking an order to remand the 52 students for a period of 14 days pursuant to Sections 293(1) and 296(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Edo State, 2016, and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court.

“An order remanding the Suspects in Correctional Custodial Centre, Benin City for an initial period of 14 days, pending the rendering of Legal Advice on the case from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Minstry of Justice, Edo State,” the application read.

The police also urged the court to grant “such further or other order(s) as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance of this case.”

Last weekend, angry residents, including students, took to the streets to demand urgent action from security agencies and the Edo State government over the worsening insecurity in the state.

The police, however, said the protest was hijacked, adding they swiftly mobilised personnel in strategic collaboration with sister security agencies to ensure that the protest remained peaceful and orderly.

“Regrettably, the protest was hijacked, and all the rules of peaceful protest were ignored, which led to incidents, including malicious damages, looting of property, vandalisation of shops, as well as a military personnel discharging firearms at a protester,” the statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikoedem, read.