The Edo State Police Command has deployed heavy security presence in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area, following the disruption of a peaceful protest and a rise in criminal activities in the area.
The Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, personally supervised the deployment of security personnel alongside the Commander of the 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Ahmed Olatunboju Balogun.
The operation involved collaboration with other security agencies, including the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Edo State Security Corps (ESSC), and local hunters, aimed at restoring public safety and curbing kidnapping and other crimes.
According to the police, investigations into the protest disruption led to the arrest of 52 suspects allegedly involved in acts of vandalism, assault occasioning harm, looting, rioting, cruelty to animals, and other offences that caused public disorder and threatened safety.
The suspects were also accused of forcibly entering the palace of the Enogie of Ekpoma, His Royal Highness Anthony Ehizogie Abumere, where they allegedly assaulted the monarch and his wife and destroyed property within the palace.
In a statement issued by the command’s
Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikoedem, the police command dismissed claims circulating on social media that peaceful protesters were arrested. It clarified that no lawful protester was detained, noting that individuals involved in peaceful demonstrations were instead advised to return home and maintain calm. The arrested suspects have since been arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction.
Reaffirming the command’s stance, CP Agbonika emphasized the police’s commitment to protecting citizens’ constitutional rights to peaceful protest, while maintaining zero tolerance for criminality, violence, or actions that infringe on the rights of law-abiding residents.
The Edo State Police Command urged members of the public to disregard unverified reports and rely only on official and credible sources of information, while appreciating the cooperation of residents in efforts to sustain peace and security across the state.