..Announces plan to recruit vigilantes into state civil service
By Osehobo Ofure, Benin City
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has declared that convicted kidnappers in the state will face the death penalty by hanging, warning criminal elements that his administration will deal ruthlessly with perpetrators of insecurity with the plans to sign death warrant Bill for convicted Kidnapers into law.
The governor issued the warning during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Uromi Town Hall, where he engaged leaders of the Arewa community in Esan land, reiterating his zero-tolerance stance on kidnapping and violent crimes.
The governor’s hardline position came months after the passage of the Kidnapping Prohibition Amendment Law (and Related Matters) 2025, which prescribes capital punishment for convicted kidnappers and mandates the demolition of properties used for criminal activities.
The law also empowers the state government to confiscate lands linked to kidnappers, with plans to repurpose them for security infrastructur
“I take the issue of insecurity seriously and will not bend the rules but apply them strictly,” Okpebholo declared. “The new law in the state permits us to demolish their properties and confiscate their lands. We will bring kidnappers to the public and execute them to show our seriousness according to the laws already passed by the Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA). I will not be afraid to sign it”, a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor, read.
In related development and move to bolster security, Governor Okpebholo announced plans to formally recruit local vigilante members into the state civil service, ensuring they receive regular salaries and structured training.
“The kind of security we want is one where vigilantes are paid salaries, unlike before when people just wore uniforms without remuneration,” he said.
“We are going to employ vigilante teams, pay them salaries, and integrate them into a coordinated security framework. These personnel will work with conventional security agencies and receive proper training on crime-fighting and criminal handling.”
The initiative aims to professionalise community policing efforts, enhancing intelligence-gathering and rapid response mechanisms across Edo State.
Okpebholo also revealed plans to intensify the profiling of non-indigenes, particularly those from neighbouring countries, who may be exploiting communal tensions to perpetrate crimes.
“It is time to start profiling people from other states who claim to be from the North and ensure they don’t spoil your name,” he stated. “Those destroying the land and causing problems are not even from Nigeria. They are foreigners.”
Additionally, the governor outlined measures to enhance security in major markets, including fencing, installation of streetlights, and the construction of designated abattoirs to regulate livestock activities.
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