—By Our Correpondent
A high-powered town hall meeting has been scheduled to hold on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at the Igarra Multipurpose Hall, following a crucial engagement between Igarra youths and Hon. Donald Okogbe, Member representing Akoko Edo Constituency 2 at the Edo State House of Assembly.
The meeting, prompted by a recent peaceful protest by Igarra youths, is expected to address escalating insecurity in the area and the deteriorating state of the Igarra-Ibillo road. Youth representatives cited rising incidents of kidnapping and infrastructural neglect as urgent issues requiring government intervention.
Addressing the youths Hon. Okogbe commended them for their peaceful demonstration, expressing solidarity with their concerns. He disclosed that although he had received unconfirmed information that the Igarra-Ibillo road contract had been awarded, official verification was still pending. He proposed that in view of the urgency of the situation a town hall meeting to be attended by critical stakeholders had become imperative.
He promised to facilitate invitations to key stakeholders such as the State Commissioner of Police, the member representing Akoko-Edo Constituency at the House of Representatives, Hon. Peter Akpatason, as well as his fellow legislator at the Edo State House of Assembly Hon. Yekini Idiaye.
Other key stakeholders expected at the meeting are heads of all security agencies operating in the local government area, traditional rulers from Akoko Edo, the Hausa/Fulani community leadership in Igarra, and members of the press. The town hall is aimed generating robust deliberations on two pressing issues: community security and road infrastructure.
The angry youths, in turn, issued a series of demands, that included a comprehensive reconstruction—not palliative repairs—of the Igarra-Ibillo road, with preference for a reputable contractor that must assure of a long-term warranty and the establishment of an army base in Igarra; citing the vast landmass of Akoko-Edo and the lack of a military presence compared to neighbouring regions. The youths also demanded the immediate transfer of the Police Area Commander, citing ineffectiveness in responding to kidnapping incidents.
