Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election Mr. Peter Obi, has condemned the arrest and remand of 52 students in Ekpoma, Edo State who were calling for an end to kidnapping in their community, while the bandits perpetrating the terror were left unaccountable to their actions.
Obi on a statement on X, said Nigeria cannot punish citizens for voicing legitimate grievances, “especially when they are standing up against the very real threats that have devastated our neighbourhoods. This situation is utterly unacceptable.”
He noted that the “students were taken from their hostels at night simply for protesting, only to be treated as criminals.
“Meanwhile, the actual perpetrators—the bandits and kidnappers wreaking havoc—remain at large, unaccountable for their actions.”
He warned that as long as insecurity continues unabated, more protests would follow.
The former Anambra State governor called on the government to dialogue with the students and take decisive steps to reclaim their communities from the grip of violence.
“This is not a confrontation between citizens and the government; it is a united front against the criminals who terrorise us.
“Arresting young people for demanding safety is absolutely intolerable,” he said, and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of these students by the government.
“Let us move forward with courage, not fear, in guiding our leadership,” he advised.
