Nigerian Students Released After Protest Detention

Students from Ambrose Alli University in Nigeria are back on campus after being released from detention following a protest that turned violent last week.

The 52 detained individuals, including university students, were freed after Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo intervened personally. They had been arrested when a peaceful demonstration against rising insecurity in Ekpoma was hijacked by criminals who attacked shops and blocked roads.

Rather than pressing charges, Governor Okpebholo invited the students to the Government House for a conversation. He listened to their concerns about safety and shared his own plans to transform their struggling university.

The numbers tell a powerful story of neglect turned around. Under the previous administration, the entire university received just 41 million naira for salaries, utilities, and operations. One consultant alone received 59 million naira.

Governor Okpebholo increased the university's funding to 500 million naira. His administration is also working to address a staggering 41 billion naira in unpaid wages owed to university staff.

The Ripple Effect

This story goes beyond one protest or one release. It shows what happens when leaders choose listening over punishment and investment over finger-pointing.

The governor acknowledged that insecurity affects everyone equally, from students to governors. "Kidnappers do not know the status of anybody," he told the students. Instead of dismissing their fears, he validated them while urging peaceful engagement over violence.

The meeting brought together top officials, including the Deputy Governor, Education Commissioner, and federal youth representatives. All praised the choice to prioritize dialogue, setting a precedent for how governments can respond to youth activism.

For the students, the message was clear: their voices matter, their safety concerns are legitimate, and their university finally has a champion. The governor warned them against being manipulated by criminal elements but showed through actions that legitimate concerns deserve legitimate responses.

The university community now has hope not just for safety, but for a revitalized institution that can properly serve its students and fairly compensate its staff.