By BONIFACE AKARAH

Former Labour Party presidential candidate and ex-Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, has condemned the arrest and remand of 52 students in Ekpoma, Edo State, describing the action as “utterly unacceptable” and a grave violation of citizens’ rights to peaceful protest.

Obi, in a statement posted Tuesday evening, January 13, 2026, said the students were arrested after protesting against the rising activities of kidnappers and bandits in their community, stressing that Nigerians must not be punished for demanding safety and accountability from government.

“We cannot and must not punish citizens for voicing legitimate grievances, especially when they are standing up against the very real threats that have devastated our neighbourhoods,” Obi said.

He expressed outrage that the students were allegedly taken from their hostels at night and treated as criminals, while those responsible for insecurity remain at large.

“It is beyond belief that students were arrested for protesting, while the actual perpetrators — the bandits and kidnappers wreaking havoc — continue unchecked,” he added.

Obi warned that continued insecurity would inevitably lead to more public protests, urging authorities to engage the affected students through dialogue rather than repression.

“Arresting young people for demanding safety is absolutely intolerable. The government must release these students immediately and unconditionally,” he said.

He maintained that the protests should be seen as a collective stand against criminality, not a confrontation between citizens and the state, reiterating that “a New Nigeria is POssible.”