Monday Okpebholo, the governor of Edo State, has claimed that a Nigerian living in Russia and other foreign nations funded the anti-kidnapping demonstration held on January 10, 2026 by the people of Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area.
According to reports, on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, in Benin City, Governor Okpebholo made the accusations in a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Dr. Patrick Ebojele.
Additionally, Okpebholo said that opposition groups are funding the disturbances in an effort to undermine the Edo State Government and wreak havoc, possibly with international support.
He pointed out that the violent protest was a part of a concerted effort to mislead the people and destabilize the state, despite rejecting as false and misleading a number of social media posts about it.
He said that the demonstration was actually a well-planned riot supported by a Nigerian who lived in Russia and other foreign countries.
According to him, security forces have already identified the masterminds, who made contact with a number of people in Ekpoma and suggested using funds from the diaspora to organize coordinated riots in Ekpoma, Auchi, Irrua, and even the Government House in Benin City.
The governor further denied that students from Ambrose Alli University, AAU, and Ekpoma were among those detained and charged in relation to the violence, or that their detentions took place in dorms.
He asserted that all of the students had left the dorms long before the event and that AAU is presently on vacation.
Additionally, he said that the majority of the arrests were supported by unmistakable proof, such as a video depicting violent and destructive behavior, and that the suspects detained were rioters rather than peaceful demonstrators.
He claims that the government also emphasized that neither students nor the National Association of Nigerian Students, or NANS, have anything to do with the incident.
“Those who were detained were supposedly on their way to damage college property. Others’ faces were recognized on the widely shared video of the incident, which depicted a variety of arson crimes, he added.
Okpebholo further refuted another widely shared film that was mistakenly labeled as a kidnapping occurrence in Ekpoma, claiming that it was a flagrant fabrication.
He explained that the film was a part of a planned operation to incite fear, deceive locals, and damage the administration’s reputation.
However, he reiterated his dedication to safeguarding people and property, revealing that the administration is collaborating closely with security services to uphold law and order throughout the state.
While acknowledging that the right to peaceful and legal protest is guaranteed by the constitution, the governor also stated that violence, rioting, damage, and looting will never be accepted.
In the same way that he reassured Ekpoma residents that the situation is completely under control and that calm and normalcy are returning to the town, he advised the public to disregard phony videos and unconfirmed information.
