Insecurity: Okpebholo meets youth leaders on security

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Gov Monday Okpebholo of Edo State.

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By Ozioruva Aliu

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BENIN CITY — Edo State Governor, Monday, met with youth leaders, known as Okaighele, from the seven local government areas that make up Edo South Senatorial District, urging them to work with security agencies and other community security structures to protect their domains.

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The meeting, held at the Sir Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub along Airport Road, Benin City, was attended by security chiefs, vigilante groups, members of the Edo State Security Corps and other community security stakeholders.

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Okpebholo assured residents that his administration would protect lives and property across the state, stressing the need for all stakeholders to collaborate in tackling insecurity.

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He said security was a collective responsibility and urged the youth leaders to promptly report threats in their communities.

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According to him, “Edo has a history. Edo must be protected as every soul, every life in this land matters to us as a government. We are not prepared to lose any soul in the state as a result of insecurity.

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“Security is not a one-man show but everybody’s business and duty. We all live in different communities and streets. I encourage you to report any security threats in your areas.”

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The governor said his administration would not allow criminals from outside the state to enter Edo to kidnap residents, stressing that all stakeholders had a role to play in protecting the state.

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“We are doing all we are doing to protect our land. We would not allow foreigners and people from other states into our land to kidnap our people. We all have a duty of collaboration to protect the state,” he said.

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Okpebholo also assured residents that the state would become safer in the coming weeks, saying his administration had put strategies in place to improve the response to security threats.

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“In the next few weeks, Edo State will be safer than what it is today because we have put strategies on ground to police the state,” he said.

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He explained that a distress call would trigger a rapid security response, with between five and seven security vehicles expected to arrive within five minutes.

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The governor also said motorcycles would be provided to security personnel to enable them to access remote areas of forests where criminals might be hiding.

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Okpebholo said the meeting was aimed at developing modalities for collaboration among Okaighele, the police, vigilante groups and other security agencies to strengthen community policing.

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In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Dr Patrick Ebojele, the governor said security agencies had been working late into the night to recover dangerous weapons and protect residents.

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He added that his administration had made significant progress in its fight against cultism, urging youths and community leaders to provide credible information to security agencies to sustain the gains recorded in the fight against cultism, kidnapping and other crimes.

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The Commissioner for Public Safety and Security, Festus Ebea, said the administration had demonstrated its commitment and capacity to eradicate cultism and kidnapping in the state.

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The Edo State Commissioner of Police, Patrick Daaor, commended the governor for convening the meeting and urged the Okaighele to see themselves as custodians of security in their communities while working closely with security agencies.

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Commander, 107 Air Force Base, Air Commodore Victor Eze, said Edo was making progress in its security efforts, adding that the necessary machinery had been put in place to tackle criminal elements in the state.

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The Special Adviser on Community and Traditional Matters, Chief Emmanuel Iyase, said the Oba of Benin was organising Okaighele in various communities to support the governor’s efforts to improve security.

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Iyase said the governor had joined forces with traditional and community leaders to provide security for residents, adding that Okpebholo had directed Okaighele in Edo South to form committees across communities to strengthen collaboration with the government on security.

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