BENIN-CITY: Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has announced plans to significantly strengthen security across the state, promising that residents will begin to notice improvements within the next month.
The governor said security agencies would be positioned to respond to threats anywhere in Edo State within five minutes once the new measures are fully implemented.
Okpebholo made the commitment on Sunday while speaking during a church service at Living Faith Church, popularly known as Winners Chapel, along Sapele Road in Benin City.
He said his administration was taking steps to improve the state’s security architecture and ensure that residents could receive rapid assistance whenever their lives or property were threatened.
According to the governor, the security measures are designed to make Edo safer while improving the ability of security agencies to respond quickly to emergencies.
“We will continue to work for Edo people. In terms of security, Edo will be safer in the next one month. We will be able to respond to security threats in any part of the state within five minutes,” Okpebholo said.
The governor’s announcement comes amid continuing concerns over kidnapping, robbery and other forms of criminal activity in some parts of Edo State.
He said his administration’s broader objective was to ensure that residents could go about their daily activities without fear.
Okpebholo also disclosed that the state government would soon release dedicated emergency telephone numbers for residents to report security incidents and seek urgent assistance.
He urged residents and others who may find themselves in distress to make use of the emergency lines once they become operational.
The planned numbers are expected to provide a direct channel through which people can contact security authorities during emergencies requiring immediate intervention.The governor said the initiative was part of wider efforts to improve communication between residents and security agencies and ensure that security threats are dealt with as quickly as possible.Edo strengthens security operations
The state government has continued to place security among its major priorities, with efforts focused on strengthening existing security structures and deploying personnel to areas considered vulnerable to criminal activities.
The administration has particularly identified kidnapping and violent crime as areas requiring stronger intervention.
In June, Edo State Commissioner for Public Safety and Security, Festus Ebea, disclosed that the state was training 500 forest guards to help secure forest areas across the state.
He also said another 500 personnel had received approval from the Federal Government, bringing the planned number of forest guards to 1,000.
Ebea further disclosed that 300 members of the Edo State Security Corps had been deployed in each of the state’s 18 local government areas.
The measures are intended to improve security coverage and enhance the capacity of security personnel to respond to threats, particularly in areas affected by kidnapping and other violent crimes.
Okpebholo said his administration remained committed to creating an environment where residents could live, work and conduct their businesses without fear.
He maintained that the government would continue working to improve security across Edo while strengthening efforts to protect communities.
The governor’s latest assurance is coming at a time when security remains a major concern in several parts of the state.
In August, security agencies intensified joint clearance operations around the Imiakebu and Okpella axis as part of efforts to tackle criminal activities in affected communities.
Okpebholo said his administration was making progress in its efforts to address insecurity and called on residents to support government and security agencies in the fight against crime.
During the church service at Winners Chapel, Pastor Emmanuel Ebiye commended the governor for what he described as his developmental efforts and initiatives aimed at improving the state.
Ebiye also expressed appreciation to Okpebholo for donating food items, including rice and cooking oil, to churches for distribution among their members.
After leaving Winners Chapel, the governor and his entourage visited Rock of Ages Christian Assembly International, also located along Sapele Road in Benin City.
The church’s General Overseer, Pastor Charles Osazuwa, also spoke on the 2027 general elections.
Osazuwa expressed optimism that the elections would be peaceful and that Nigeria would remain united despite the political activities and contest expected ahead of the polls.
For Okpebholo, however, security remains a central focus of his administration, with the governor insisting that the state must become safer and more responsive to threats.
The planned five-minute response target, together with the deployment of forest guards, security corps personnel and dedicated emergency lines, forms part of the state government’s broader strategy to improve security and protect residents across Edo State.
