Oshionogue spoke during a screening exercise for ESSC personnel, where he expressed disappointment over the continued incidents of kidnapping and violent attacks in the local government.
The chairman described the July 18, 2026 killing of the farmer, identified as Monday Obanigba, as unfortunate and called on the security operatives to remain committed to their responsibilities.
According to a statement issued by his chief press secretary, Ajayi Julius, Oshionogue stressed that the council would not tolerate ghost workers, noting that security remains a critical responsibility.
“I must say that more is expected of us. Security is local and with the number of Edo State Security Corps personnel being paid by the council to enhance grassroots security, I do not see any reason we should still be talking about kidnapping in Akoko-Edo with this number of personnel here,” he said.
He urged the operatives to complement the efforts of the Edo State Government in tackling kidnapping, cultism and other criminal activities across the council area.
Also speaking, chairman of the screening committee and Secretary to the Local Government (SLG), Hon. Topa Okomayin, criticised what he described as the nonchalant attitude of many ESSC personnel towards their duties, warning that laxity would no longer be tolerated.
Meanwhile, the Imoga community has appealed to Governor Monday Okpebholo and security agencies to urgently intervene following the persistent attacks in the area.
In a letter dated July 20, 2026 and signed by Jeffrey Obasanmi, the community said the worsening insecurity had prevented farmers from accessing their farmlands, thereby threatening livelihoods and food production.
The community said the killing of Obanigba was part of a disturbing pattern of violent attacks that had continued to endanger lives and property.
According to the letter, Imoga’s location along the Edo-Kogi-Ondo border has made it vulnerable to cross-border criminal activities and the movement of armed attackers.
While commending the state and local governments for their efforts to address insecurity, the community called for the establishment of a permanent security base in Imoga, deployment of additional security personnel, and stronger collaboration among security agencies in Edo, Kogi and Ondo states to curb cross-border crimes.
