Okpebholo Seeks Special Court For Kidnappers, Cultists

Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has proposed the establishment of a special court to expedite the trial of suspected kidnappers and cultists, declaring that he would not hesitate to sign the death warrant of any person convicted for such crimes.

The governor made the declaration on Thursday at the headquarters of the Edo State Police Command in Benin City during the parade of suspected kidnappers and other criminal suspects arrested across the state.

Among those paraded were suspects linked to the kidnapping of a woman at the popular Vegetable Market along Airport Road, Benin City, last Sunday, alleged kidnappers operating along the Benin-Lagos Highway, and a woman accused of staging her own abduction to extort money from family members.

Commending security agencies for their swift response to the Airport Road kidnapping incident, Okpebholo announced a financial reward for the security operatives involved in dismantling the syndicate.

According to the governor, his administration would continue to work closely with security agencies to ensure that kidnappers and cultists find Edo State inhospitable.

“Something very terrible happened on Sunday, and I called the Commissioner of Police and told him that whoever committed that crime of kidnapping inside Benin City must be arrested,” he said.

“Within 24 hours, those responsible were apprehended. The ransom they intended to collect was recovered and used to trace them. During the operation, there was an exchange of gunfire in which one suspect was neutralised, while two others escaped and are currently being pursued.”

He praised the efforts of the state’s security agencies, saying: “You can see that the police are working, the Army is working, and the DSS is working.”

On the proposed special court, the governor said: “We are proposing a special court to try kidnappers and cultists so that within a matter of weeks their cases can be concluded. I will not hesitate to sign the death warrant of any person convicted. Such individuals will be publicly identified for people to see, and I will have no regrets about it. Nobody should take my simplicity for granted.”

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Edo State, Monday Agbonika, warned residents against spreading false information capable of causing panic, particularly reports alleging the invasion of schools by suspected kidnappers.

The police commissioner described the reports as fake news, noting that investigations carried out by the command found no evidence to support the claims.

“Just this morning, there were reports that some schools were being attacked in different parts of the state. We immediately deployed personnel and conducted investigations, only to discover that the information was false,” Agbonika said.

He noted that the rumours created unnecessary panic among parents, with some attempting to withdraw their children from school.

“At a point, parents were rushing to remove their children from schools. People must desist from spreading false information,” he warned.

Agbonika also expressed concern over the increasing cases of self-kidnapping in the state, stressing that such acts constitute criminal offences.

“The issue of self-kidnapping is also becoming a serious concern in Edo State. These are offences punishable under the law. Members of the public should verify information before sharing it because false reports only spread when people repost them without confirmation,” he added.