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Insecurity: Okpebholo meets security chiefs over killings, abductions
Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, on Monday, said security remains a top priority of his administration as he moved to halt killings and abductions in the state.
The governor revealed this on his verified X handle, as he held a meeting with security chiefs and key stakeholders to deliberate on strategies to enhance security across the state.
The governor’s pledge came as the daily protest in Ekpoma over the alleged killing of a suspected “Yahoo boy” by the police last week continued on Monday.
In the past few weeks, there have been clashes between farmers and alleged produce thieves in Ovia, which was said to have claimed 22 lives.
Also, cases of kidnapping have been on the rise as 21-year-old Seminarian, Peter Andrew, of the St.Peter Catholic Church in the Ivukwa Community, Etsako East Local Government Area of the state was killed last Thursday by his abductors.
He was kidnapped on March 3 alongside Rev Fr Peter Ekweli, who had been freed and reunited with the church.
Speaking against the backdrop of the killings and abductions, Okpebholo said discussions during the security meeting focused on proactive measures to tackle security challenges, restore peace, and ensure the citizens can live, work and conduct business without fear.
The governor said, “Earlier today (Monday), I convened a Security Council Meeting with security chiefs and key stakeholders to deliberate on strategies to enhance security across Edo State.
“Our discussions focused on proactive measures to tackle security challenges, restore peace, and ensure that citizens can live, work, and conduct business without fear.
“Security remains a top priority on our administration’s agenda because where there is security, there is progress.
“This administration is committed to building a safer, more prosperous Edo for all.”
Speaking during the protest in Ekpoma, a resident told The PUNCH that the crisis started last week.
He said the police stopped a car at a checkpoint while the driver took to his heels after he was stopped.
In the process, one of the police officers shot the fleeing suspect, leading to his death, while his brother, who was with him in the car was arrested and taken to the state command headquarters in Benin.
The resident said, “The boy who is suspected to be involved in Internet fraud known as Yahoo Yahoo was stopped by the police, but he opened his car and took to his heels.
“One of the officers shot him, and he died. His brother was in the car with hi,m and he was arrested and taken to the state command in Benin.
“Members of the community have been protesting since then. Today (Monday), they moved to Ambrose Alli University, hoping that the students will join the protest but the school is not in session.”
According to him, such financial mishandling not only disrupts critical public services and projects but also results in major losses to the nation’s purse—resources that could have been channelled into crucial services and developmental efforts, as laid out in Section 14(2)(b) of the Constitution.
Speaker Abbas, thereafter setup a Special Committee to be chaired by Rep. Chinedu Martins to immediately launch a probe into the “Utilisation of take-off grants, bailout funds, and interventions allocated to MDAs, government institutions, and GOEs from 2015 to present.”
The FCT Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike, expressed satisfaction with the progress on the Abuja light rail project, reaffirming its May 29 delivery as sacrosanct.
He made these assurances after inspecting the ongoing construction of access roads to the train stations on Wednesday, from Metro Train Station in the Central Area to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Reassuring journalists accompanying him, the minister reiterated that President Bola Tinubu would commission the rail project on May 29 to mark his second year in office.
The visited stations were Wupa station near Idu and Bassanjiwa station near the airport.
“This is part of our routine inspection of ongoing projects to see the contractors’ progress,” Wike explained.
“We are working day and night to fulfill our promise to President Tinubu and FCT residents. By May, Mr. President will ride on the Metro line.”
Gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen are currently invading some communities in the Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.
According to sources, the herdsmen armed with AK-47 rifles stormed the community around 04:15pm on Thursday.
“Our lives are in danger this evening, armed Fulani herdsmen, about 600 in numbers have taken over our communities this evening,” a resident told SaharaReporters.
“They’re currently moving around towns in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue state. No security personnel at all, Governor Alia didn’t send security, they said operation will start soon once they (herders) have observed the place.”
The insecurity situation in Benue has been alarming in recent weeks with attacks from gunmen suspected to be herdsmen.
The media had reported that suspected herdsmen again unleashed terror in Benue State, attacking three communities in Otukpo Local Government Area (LGA) on Wednesday, just a day after 11 people were killed in a deadly raid on Otobi community.
The latest victims of the escalating violence were Emichi, Odudaje, and Okpamaju, communities that had previously suffered an attack in February, which left five people dead.
However, the renewed attack has created fear and mass displacement among residents, with women and children fleeing to safety.
Local sources say the death toll from the fresh attack remains unclear, but several casualties are feared.
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