The Edo State Government has firmly rejected assertions that it is overwhelmed by security challenges, responding to recent concerns raised by Hon. Marcus Onobun, the member representing Esan West, Esan Central, and Igueben Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
Hon. Onobun had expressed alarm over what he described as frequent killings and rising insecurity in Edo State, suggesting the state government was struggling to contain the situation.
In a statement to newsmen in Benin City, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Hon. Paul Ohonbamu, acknowledged Hon. Onobun’s right to bring the matter to the attention of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas. However, he vehemently denied the claim that Governor [Current Governor’s Name, if available, otherwise leave as Okpebholo] is overwhelmed by the security situation.
“The security of lives and property of the people is one of the cardinal goals of the governor,” stated Hon. Ohonbamu, emphasizing the administration’s commitment to addressing security concerns. He added that the Governor has “swiftly moved to ameliorate the lapses created by the past administration of former Governor Godwin Obaseki with the necessary provision of the working tools for the security agencies.”
The Commissioner affirmed the government’s receptiveness to collaborative efforts in bolstering security, stating, “While we welcome the need to intensify intelligence gathering and surveillance operations to identify and neutralise criminal flashpoints within the state and the deployment of additional security personnel, it is not in good taste to conclude that the state governor is overwhelmed with the security challenges.”
He further stressed that security concerns are a global issue and that the current administration is proactively addressing them. “There is nowhere in the world that the citizens are not grappling with the issue of security, and a responsible government is saddled with the responsibility to ensure that the people are safe, and that is exactly what Governor Okpebholo has done immediately he assumed office, and he has not in any way relented.”
Hon. Ohonbamu revealed that the government has issued a stern warning to criminal elements. “The government has given notice to all criminal elements within and from outside the state to leave the state as their days are numbered and there have been several arrests and investigations going on.”
He acknowledged that eradicating crime requires time and patience, urging the public to cooperate with security agencies. “There is no doubt that the manhunt for the criminals will obviously take some time to be able to get rid of all the criminals from the state; therefore, there is the need to exercise some patience with the security agencies as they do their jobs, but the good news is that there are positive results.”
In closing, Hon. Ohonbamu reiterated the government’s determination to combat crime effectively. “As the onslaught by the security agencies against criminals spread across the state, nowhere will be comfortable for them, and the state will not be a safe haven for kidnappings and violent attacks, as stated by Hon. Marcus Onobun recently while raising a motion of urgent public importance on the need to curb the rising cases of killings in the state during a plenary session of the House of Representatives.”
