52 Students Freed After Governor Chooses Dialogue Over Force

Fifty-two students from Ambrose Alli University are back on campus this week after Governor Monday Okpebholo chose engagement over enforcement.

The students were detained at Ubiaja Correctional Centre following a demonstration against rising insecurity in Ekpoma last weekend. When the peaceful protest turned chaotic after criminal elements hijacked it, authorities initially responded with arrests and charges including malicious damage.

But Governor Okpebholo took a different path. Instead of letting the legal process run its course, he authorized the release of all detained students and invited them to a stakeholder meeting at Government House in Benin.

During the Thursday gathering, the governor acknowledged the students' underlying concerns were valid. He revealed that AAU staff are owed approximately 41 billion naira in back wages and salary arrears, a financial crisis inherited from the previous administration.

"The day I was sworn in, I said I was going to revive Ambrose Alli University," Okpebholo told the released students. He outlined plans already underway to gradually clear the massive debt and restore the institution's financial health.

The governor also addressed the security fears that sparked the original protest. He admitted that investigations revealed many criminal acts in the area were carried out by locals, and he pledged that criminals would not operate with impunity in Edo State.

The Ripple Effect

Education Commissioner Dr. Paddy Iyamu praised the governor's approach as setting a new standard for resolving campus tensions. By treating student protesters as stakeholders rather than criminals, the administration opened channels for ongoing dialogue about university conditions and community safety.

The decision sends a powerful message across Nigeria's higher education system, where student protests over unpaid staff salaries, deteriorating facilities, and security concerns have become increasingly common. Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa and other officials at the meeting emphasized their commitment to keeping communication lines open with the university community.

Governor Okpebholo cautioned students to avoid being exploited by criminal elements while urging them to channel their energy into their studies and peaceful advocacy. The administration's choice to listen first and punish later demonstrates that progress happens when leaders see concerned citizens instead of just troublemakers.

These 52 students now have a second chance and a seat at the table for real reform.