BENIN CITY – AS the issue of kidnapping across Edo State continues to create anxiety and draw concern among the people, the government of Governor Monday Okpebholo said it was overhauling the local vigilante known as Edo State Security Corps to be capable of checking kidnapping and cultism in the state.
Speaking to journalists in Benin City on Tuesday, the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Hon Paul Ohonbamu said the overhauling is being handled by very senior retired military officers in the state as he said Okpebholo was committed with tackling the twin challenge of kidnapping and cultism to ensure that expected investors into the state were not scared away.
Ohonbamu also assured the people of the state that the full complement of the state executive council would soon be composed by the state governor.
He said “On the issue of herdsmen, it is part of the training they are going through now, under those retired military officers. Once these ones are out, you will see a brand new Edo State Security Corps which is to check kidnapping because from the point of entry, they will be stationed.
“Before now, you saw that the vigilante, the Edo State Security Corps was headed by different people in different cults, but this governor said no, it must be Ibadin and even Ibadin is not there now, those who are arranging this present one, they are all retried very senior military officers. So we all know what the man wants, he wants decency in our society.”
On why the efforts in the state were not being felt unlike what groups like amotekun is doing in the West, the Commissioner said “The reason the system in the South Western states is working is because there is synergy and that is what you will get now. But I praise our governor for his boldness, you see governors.
lamenting, come to our aid, come to our aid but the governor is taking bold steps while others are complaining. He heard from the police, he bought brand new hilux vans, 100 in number and gave them to them and the other security operatives.
“He bought 1000 power bikes for people to comb the bushes, he ensured that there was arms mop up, they collected illegal arms from people, about 5000 recovered. He has put things in place that will make them, you know, work effectively.
“The police needs to also wake up and put on the confident badge of sovereignty to say, this is Nigerian Police Force, and we must stop what is happening, especially when you have a governor that is ready to support their operations.
On the full complement of the state executive council, Ohonbamu said “very soon the full exco will be constituted, the list was released but because of squabbles here and there and several people wanting their names to be there, the governor decided that the tribunal is still on, so let us finish everything, but very soon it will be done because I know that the list is ready and very soon the names will released and they will take off.”
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