Popular social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has reacted to the arrest of over 52 students of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, who were detained following a protest against the rising cases of kidnapping and insecurity in parts of Edo State.
In a statement shared online, VeryDarkMan disclosed that efforts were already underway to secure the release of the affected students, noting that discussions were ongoing behind the scenes.
“We’re currently working on securing the release of the students who were arrested,” he said.
However, the activist acknowledged that the protest may have taken a negative turn, alleging that some of the students engaged in actions that undermined the original intention of the demonstration.
“Some of the students broke into people’s shops and looted weapons and other valuables which is not fair at all, but hopefully they’ll be released soon,” VeryDarkMan stated.
The students were arrested after a protest organized to draw attention to repeated incidents of kidnapping and worsening insecurity in Ekpoma and its surrounding communities. While the protest was initially described as peaceful, authorities later cited allegations of vandalism and looting as justification for the arrests.