By Tobore Jerome
Since the inception of office in November 2024, Governor Okpebholo has made security one of his topmost priority as security comes first in the governor’s “SHINE” agenda.
The governor in the first quarter of this year signed the Secret Cult and Similar Activities (Prohibition) Law, 2025: which replaced the 2018 version, thereby introducing mandatory 10-year jail terms for harboring cultists, 21 years for sponsors or cultists involved in injury or property destruction, and the death penalty for cult-related killings.
As well as the Kidnapping Prohibition (Amendment) Law, 2025: that prescribes death sentence for kidnappers if lives are lost, life imprisonment for surviving victims, and 14–21 years for accomplices or ransom negotiators.
The implementation of this anti-kidnapping and anti-cultism law has yielded positive results with over 5,000 illegal weapons confiscated across the state, and more than 10 buildings known as hideouts for cult and kidnapping syndicates demolished. Several hotels and other places used for cult meetings or organ-harvesting kidnappings were sealed or bulldozed, sometimes discovered with human remains and fetish items.
Governor Okpebholo procurement of over 100 Hilux vans, 1,000 power bikes, and overhauling the Edo State Security Corps (ESSC) to improve surveillance and response capabilities, as well as the partnerships formed with traditional rulers, pastors, and imams, civil society groups, Youth organisations and student bodies has lead to public denouncements of cultism and communal pledges in across Edo State leading to the arrest of more than 120 suspected cultists across areas like Benin City, Ekpoma, and Auchi.
The people’s action governor has recently received commendation from the people of Edo State and beyond for setting up a taskforce named “OPERATION FLUSH OUT KIDNAPPERS AND CULTIST” which comprises law enforcement agents such as the military, police, DSS, NSCDC, vigilantes, repented cult members, hunters. Over 2,500 operatives, trained by police and military, have been deployed to hotspots across the state.
In a statement released on Wednesday July 16th and signed by the Chief Press Secretary to Edo State Governor, Fred Itua, stated that over 20 suspects were arrested in the first major operation in Benin, when the special security squad launched a manhunt for cult leaders and kidnapping syndicates.
According to Itua “The Special Security Squad, Operation Flush Out Kidnappers and Cultists, set up by Governor Monday Okpebholo to keep Edo State safe, has arrested over 20 persons in its first operation in Benin City, the State Capital.
“Places raided on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, include Isiohor, Iguosa, Oluku, Ibiwe/Lagos Street, and other notorious hideouts for criminals. Many suspects were arrested with drugs, dangerous weapons, and other incriminating materials.
“Speaking after the operation, a member of Edo State Special Security Squad Against Cultism and Kidnapping, John Adewale Eseikhaigbe, commended the move made by the governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo for establishing the squad which he said will go a long way in reducing the criminal elements perpetuating evils in the State”.
Mr Itua further stated that the special squad arrested more suspected criminals who are in the habit of creating tension in the State with their nefarious activities, when the team raided locations such as Obe Community at Sapele road, Iyowa Community, Evbonika and Azuwa village all in Benin City, in a bid to make the State habitable and safe for businesses and investments.
“At Azuwa village in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, the team stormed the area following intelligence reports and made some arrests.
”Also, at Evbonika village, they stormed a building suspected to be a gathering point for cult members, as they questioned the owner of the building searching the entire premises and their presence in the area has sent a strong signal to members of various cult groups, kidnappers and criminal elements in the State that the present administration means business.
“The campaign of flushing out criminal elements from the State is not just rhetoric, but backed with action as the Governor Monday Okpebholo-led administration is serious in ensuring a safer State for Edo people.
“Several arrests were made by the team at a hotel located along power line, off First Ugbor in the Government Reserved Area (GRA) of the State, where incriminating materials were found with the suspects.
“Governor Monday Okpebholo who spoke after granting the approval to set up the security squad, said his administration will not tolerate the activities of criminals, and will not allow them to dictate the future of the State as his government has a zero-tolerance stance for violent crimes.
”The team has been admonished to follow the clear directive of Governor Monday Okpebholo in ensuring full implementation of the operation, as accountability, professionalism, and community engagement will remain the hallmark of the special squad”. He stated.
Governor Okpebholo’s decisive approach in tackling insecurity in Edo State has birthed citizens that are now more proactive in tipping off security agencies with actionable intelligence, confident that arrests lead to real prosecution rather than impunity.
The governor’s blend of legislative rigor, operational enforcement, and community engagement is already yielding measurable results in Edo State. Arrests, prosecutions, removal of criminal infrastructure, and heightened civil society involvement suggest that the campaign is gaining traction and building stronger public confidence in the state’s security institutions.
A new Edo has risen!!!
