‘Security now a top priority’ – Edo govt
Inside Edo
Benin, Edo – The Edo State Government has reaffirmed that tackling insecurity remains the topmost priority of Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo’s administration, outlining a multi-pronged strategy combining aggressive law enforcement with social interventions.
In a frank interview aired on EBS TV at 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Affairs and Media, Hon. Haruna Braimoh, gave a detailed account of the steps being taken to restore public confidence and combat kidnapping, cult-related violence, banditry, and other criminal activities affecting the state.
According to Hon. Braimoh, Governor Okpebholo moved swiftly from the beginning of his administration to establish a new security architecture focused on intelligence gathering, community-based policing, inter-agency collaboration, and rapid response mechanisms.
He disclosed that coordinated operations involving the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and local vigilante groups have been intensified in flashpoints, particularly in Edo Central, Edo North, and forest corridors.
“Sustained surveillance and enforcement activities have placed significant pressure on criminal elements,” Braimoh said, adding that Edo State will no longer be a safe haven for kidnappers, bandits, and violent offenders.
The Special Adviser stressed that the government is addressing the root causes of crime through youth empowerment programmes, skills acquisition, employment opportunities, and community engagement initiatives.
“You cannot fight crime with guns alone. You must give our youths hope,” he stated.
Braimoh highlighted the reactivation of traditional rulers, Community Development Associations (CDAs), and local vigilante networks, equipped with better communication channels to enhance grassroots intelligence.
He reiterated the administration’s community policing principle: “See Something, Say Something.”
The government’s efforts, he noted, are already yielding results. Kidnapping attempts have declined significantly in the past two months, several kidnapping syndicates have been dismantled, and stolen vehicles recovered. Markets are gradually resuming full activities, while farmers are returning to their farms with greater confidence.
Reaffirming the Governor’s determination, Hon. Braimoh declared: “Governor Monday Okpebholo will not rest until every Edo son and daughter can sleep with both eyes closed. We will pursue these criminals into the forests, across our borders where necessary, and ensure they are brought to justice.”
He called on residents to support security agencies with credible information and to reject all forms of criminality, including cultism and banditry.
The interview comes amid ongoing public concerns over security challenges that have disrupted economic activities and heightened fear among residents, even as the administration says it remains committed to creating a secure environment conducive to investment, agriculture, and sustainable development across Edo State.
