Journalists were on Monday barred by security personnel from gaining access to the court for the coverage of the arraignment of 52 suspected anti-kidnapping protesters arrested at the weekend in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State.
The suspects, who are mainly students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, were brought to Criminal Court II, Benin City, in a Black Maria for arraignment.
The security personnel said there was a standing order that only lawyers should be allowed to enter the courtroom.
Newspot reports that the presiding judge, Justice William Aziegbemi, however, remanded the suspects at the Ubiaja Correctional Centre.
He remanded the suspects after listening to an ex parte motion brought before the court by P.O. Odion, a legal officer in the legal/prosecution section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Police Headquarters, Benin City.
The judge, who said he lacked jurisdiction to entertain the case, however, asked counsel to the defendants to file bail applications at the Ubiaja High Court.
He adjourned the case to February 26, 2026, for hearing.
Meanwhile, tears flowed freely as parents struggled to give water, drinks, food, and money to their children as they were marched into the Black Maria after the sitting, en route to Ubiaja.
Some of the parents could not control their emotions as their children were taken to the Ubiaja Correctional Centre for remand.
The suspects, who pleaded not guilty, alleged that they were abducted from their residences by security agencies at night, while some said they were abducted in the early hours of Sunday morning at their residences.
Several of them alleged that they were sleeping inside their hostels when they were arrested at about 3 a.m.
They said that after the arrest, they were immediately moved to Benin City, the state command headquarters of the Nigerian Police.
A man who simply identified himself as Abdulsalam said his two sons, who never participated in the protest, were arrested by the police and brought to court.
Another parent said her son was taking his clothes to a dry cleaner when he was arrested.
It was gathered that the suspects were arrested at various locations in Ekpoma.
Also speaking, some counsel expressed shock that bogus charges of malicious damage and armed robbery were preferred against the suspects.
One of the counsel, Barr. Wisdom Isaac, opined that nobody made any complaints against the suspects.
