In a charged town hall meeting where emotion met policy, Governor Monday Okpebholo has declared that henceforth kidnappers will face the death penalty by hanging as he will personally sign their execution orders.
Standing before elders, market leaders, security officials, and members of the Arewa community in Uromi, the Governor didn’t mince words.
“We will not fold our arms while criminals destroy Edo,” he said, eyes locked with the crowd. “If you kidnap anyone, you will hang. We have the law. And I will sign it.”
A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua indicated that the tough declaration followed a recent amendment passed by the Edo State House of Assembly, which enforces capital punishment for kidnapping and grants the government the authority to demolish properties tied to the crime.
Explaining further, the Statement indicated that what drew even louder applause was his next move: recruiting local vigilantes into the civil service, ending the era of unpaid, unstructured neighborhood security.
“We’ll train them, pay them, and make them accountable,” he announced. “No more people wearing uniforms without support. They will now be part of the system.”
Tension had gripped Uromi weeks earlier following violent incidents tied to unidentified attackers.
Today, that fear was replaced by resolve as Governor Okpebholo linked arms with traditional leaders and the Arewa community, promising to unite Edo across ethnic lines—but only around peace.
“We will begin to profile strangers pretending to be from the North. We know they are not Nigerians. They are here to cause confusion. But not anymore.”
For the Governor, this isn’t politics—it’s personal. With visible passion, he vowed to reclaim Edo’s streets, markets, and farms from criminal grip.
The message resonated with leaders present, including Alhaji Bawa Umar, head of the Arewa community in Edo Central, who thanked the Governor for “acting like a father” during the Uromi crisis.
General Cecil Esekhaigbe (rtd) urged the community to maintain a verifiable database of their members and help authorities track down infiltrators.
The tone in Uromi has shifted. What began as fear is quickly becoming faith—in leadership, in justice, and in a collective stand against insecurity.
Edo’s people now know where their Governor stands. And he stands firmly—with them.
