Insecurity In Edo Receiving Attention – Govt

By Ayodele Oni

Edo State Government has assured that the security situation in the state is under control and that government is not overwhelmed by the situation.

Reacting to a motion in the House of Representatives on the security situation, the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paul Ohonbamu, condemned the gory tale painted by the member representing Esan West, Esan Central  and Igueben Federal Constituency in the House of Representative, Marcus Onobun that the government is overwhelmed by the frequent killings and rising insecurity in the state.

The commissioner pointed out that “In as much as the Legislator is performing his rightful duties by drawing the attention of the Speaker of the House of Representative, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas to the security situation in Edo State, it is not true that the state governor is overwhelmed by the situation which is receiving urgent attention by the administration.

“The security of lives and property of the people is one of the cardinal goals of the governor, who swiftly moved to ameliorate the lapses created by the past administration of former governor Godwin Obaseki with the necessary provision of the working tools for the security agencies.

“We welcome the need to intensify  intelligence gathering and surveillance operations to identify  and neutralize criminal flash points within the state, and deployment of additional security  personnel.

“There is no where in the world that the citizens are not grappling with the issue of security and a responsible government is saddled with the responsibility to ensure that the people are safe and that is exactly what Governor Okpebholo has done immediately he assumed office and he has not in any way relented.

“The government has given notice to all criminal elements within and from outside the state to leave the state as their days are numbered and there have been several arrests and investigations going on.

“There is no doubt that the man hunt for the criminals will obviously take some time to be able to get rid of all the criminals from the state,  therefore, there will be need to exercise some patience with the security agencies, as they do their jobs, but the good news is that there are positive results.

“As the onslaught by the security agencies  against  criminals spread across the state, no where will be comfortable for them and the state will not be a safe haven for kidnappings  and violent attacks.

“The State Governor, who signed into law the 2025 amended  laws prohibiting kidnapping  and related activities, has launched  a crackdown on kidnapping by demolishing buildings used by kidnappers and their accomplices, in Uromi and Ekpoma thereby sending a strong message to perpetrators.

“With this development and more, Landlords have been advised to properly profile their  tenants before renting out properties because any house found to be used for kidnapping activities or any related criminal activities will be demolished  to serve as a deterrent to others.

“There are other moves embarked by the state government in collaboration with the security agencies to flush out all criminal elements to make the state  habitable for all and there are records of successes in the fight against criminal  activities.

“There have  also been aggressive  raiding  of hideouts  and apprehending of suspects for interrogation in the state and as such the state government is not overwhelmed with the security situation.”