Special Court targets kidnappers, cult activities only – Edo govt rejects profiling claims

Benin, Edo – Haruna Braimoh, Special Advisor on public affairs and media to Edo state governor, Monday Okpebholo has issued a public clarification on social media, emphasizing that recent legal reforms in Edo State target kidnapping and cult-related violence, not indiscriminate profiling of citizens.

Braimoh (@HarunaBraimoh1), in an X post on Sunday morning, stated:

“It should be noted by the people of Edo state that the new laws and creation of the special courts by his Excellency Governor @m_akpakomiza is in response to the urgent need to curb the state of kidnap killings & cultists activities & not intentioned profiling of any kind.”

The post quotes an earlier thread by @OyomwanO, which expressed support for Governor Monday Okpebholo’s (@m_akpakomiza) goal of a “safe and sane” Edo State but cautioned the Edo State Police Command against overreach.

The quoted post warned against treating cultism enforcement like past “Yahoo-Yahoo” (internet fraud) operations, which allegedly involved indiscriminate stop-and-searches and privacy invasions. It stressed using “wisdom” to avoid creating “bigger chaos,” noting the Governor’s specific references to “cult gatherings,” “cult activities,” and “cult operations.”

A video (sourced from TikTok) accompanied the cautionary post.

DAILY South Nigeria reports that governor Okpebholo’s administration has prioritized cracking down on rising insecurity, particularly kidnapping and cultism.

Recall on June 19, 2026, the Governor formally requested the Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, to establish a dedicated court for speedy trials of cultism and kidnapping cases.

On June 25, 2026, Chief Registrar B.O. Osawaru announced the approval.

“Special Criminal Court 1” was constituted and began sitting in Benin City on July 1, 2026, specifically for offences related to cultism, kidnapping, and other matters assigned by the Chief Judge.

This builds on earlier legislation.

In January 2025, Governor Okpebholo signed the Secret Cult and Similar Activities (Prohibition) Law, 2025, which repealed the previous 2018 law and introduced harsher penalties, including up to 21 years imprisonment for cult members and sponsors.

He has also referenced the Kidnapping Prohibition (Amendment) Law.

Reports indicate the Governor has vowed to personally sign death warrants for convicted offenders in serious cases and has supported public executions as a deterrent in some statements.

Traditional authorities have also weighed in on July 2, 2026, as Oba Ewuare II of Benin invoked ancestral curses against kidnappers, cultists, armed robbers, and their collaborators.

The clarification from @HarunaBraimoh1 appears aimed at reassuring Edo indigenes that the measures are narrowly focused on criminal elements involved in kidnapping rings and cult violence, which have plagued parts of the state.

The special court is now operational.

Police and security agencies are expected to align enforcement with the Governor’s stated focus on cult gatherings and kidnapping operations.

No widespread reports of indiscriminate profiling linked to the new court have emerged in the immediate days since its launch.

This development comes amid broader national discussions on state-level responses to insecurity, with some analysts viewing Edo’s approach as one of the more aggressive in the South-South region.