ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has clarified that the 52 suspects arrested during recent protests in Ekpoma, Edo State, were picked up for acts of looting and vandalism, not for participating in peaceful demonstrations.
Speaking in a video message shared on the official X (formerly Twitter) handle of the Nigeria Police Force, Egbetokun dismissed widespread claims that the arrests targeted lawful protesters.
According to the police chief, intelligence reports showed that those arrested were directly involved in criminal acts that erupted during the protest. He said the suspects allegedly looted shops and vandalised the palace of the Enogie of Ekpoma while the demonstration was ongoing.
“In Ekpoma, yes, 52 persons were arrested during the protest,” Egbetokun stated.
“But from the reports available to me, those arrested were individuals involved in looting shops and vandalising the palace of the Enogie of Ekpoma.”
The IGP lamented what he described as a recurring pattern where the police are blamed for violence carried out under the guise of protests, noting that criminal elements often exploit demonstrations to perpetrate unlawful acts.
He stressed that the police remain committed to safeguarding the constitutional right of citizens to peaceful protest, adding that officers are routinely deployed to provide protection for lawful demonstrators.
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“That is the usual false narrative against the police,” Egbetokun said.
“Whenever criminal offences are committed during protests, people turn around to say the police arrested peaceful protesters.”
He further recalled past incidents where police formations were attacked, officers killed, and arms stolen during protests, yet the police were accused of suppressing lawful dissent.
Reiterating the Force’s position, Egbetokun said security agencies would not harass or arrest anyone participating in peaceful protests, but warned that criminal conduct would not be tolerated under any circumstances.
“Peaceful protest is not a challenge to the police,” he said.
“What concerns us are those who use protests to carry out violence, destroy property and loot shops. Those are the people we will deal with.”
Providing context to the unrest, residents of Ekpoma and neighbouring communities had taken to the streets to protest the rising cases of kidnapping in the area, marching through major roads with placards while demanding urgent government intervention.
However, the protest degenerated into violence on January 10, with reports of widespread vandalism and looting of shops and other properties.
Several demonstrators, including students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), were subsequently arrested.
Following the incident, a Federal High Court in Edo State ordered the remand of 52 suspects over allegations of malicious damage and armed robbery linked to the protest in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area.
The AAU students arrested in connection with the protest have since been released, as investigations into the incident continue.