The Edo State High Court has remanded more than fifty students who participated in the insecurity and incessant kidnapping protests in Ekpoma at the Ubiaja Correctional Centre.
The students were arraigned by the Edo state police command on Monday, over their alleged involvement in acts of violence, protest vandalism and looting.
More than fifty students were arraigned at the Edo State High Court by the Edo State Police Command in connection with the disruption of public order that occurred during the insecurity protest in Ekpoma.
During the proceedings at Criminal Court 2 of the Edo State High Court, presided over by Justice Williams Azegbemi, it was directed that formal bail applications be filed before the Edo State High Court sitting in Ubiaja. Pending the hearing and determination of the bail applications.
The court, however, ordered that the suspects be remanded at the Ubiaja Correctional Centre.
Counsel to some of the defendants, Barrister Wisdom Osaro and Barrister Ejeme Etinbowmi, explained that although the prosecuting counsel requested a 14-day remand, which the court granted in part, the process of filing bail applications may commence as early as the next day.
“We are assuring all that before the fourteen days we will file the bail application which is within the precinct of the law”
Meanwhile, parents, students, and human rights activists present at the court premises described the arrests and arraignment as unjust.
Alleging that the students were arrested hours after the protest, through raids on their homes and hostels in the early hours of the morning.
“This is purely an injustice because these students are innocent and unjustly prosecuted”
