By Lucky Isibor
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, on Thursday, 18 June declared that convicted kidnappers and cultists would face stiff punishment under a proposed special court system, warning that he would not hesitate to publicly execute those found guilty in a bid to rid the state of violent crimes.
The Governor spoke in Benin City while presenting a suspected kidnapper arrested in connection with the abduction of a woman at the Benin G.R.A. Vegetable Market on Sunday, June 14.
Okpebholo commended security agencies for the swift arrest of suspects linked to the crime, saying the operation demonstrated the government’s determination to ensure that criminal elements have no hiding place in Edo State.
“Whoever commits the crime of kidnapping inside Benin City and Edo State must be arrested,” the governor said.
“Our Commissioner of Police was actually in Abuja. He came back to Benin City and before you know it, within 24 hours those guys had been caught. You can see the money here with which they pretended to say, ‘Yes, we want to pay ransom.’ This was part of the trace to them. In the process there were gunshots, one of them died, two are still at large, and one is here.”
He praised the efforts of the police, the Department of State Services (DSS), and other security agencies, attributing their successes to the support being provided by President Bola Tinubu.
“You can see what is happening. The police are not sleeping; they are working. The DSS are working. When people sit in one place and say the President is not doing anything, I wonder why people will sit down to say that. The President is funding these people to work and that is why we are getting these results today.
“Look at the number of kidnappers that have been arrested in this land. They will never find a place in this city, in Edo State. They will not settle here,” he said.
The governor issued a strong warning to kidnappers and their sponsors, insisting that anyone involved in the crime would be tracked down and prosecuted.
“For me, my message to them is simple: whoever has such a mind that ‘I will kidnap,’ let me tell you, you cannot do it and go free. No crime that will be committed in Edo State that such a person will not be arrested. Whoever is supporting you or aiding you to do it, please, you have to stop because we are ready for you.
“We are not joking. We are not sleeping. Day and night we are working to make sure that this land is safe,” he stated.
Okpebholo also appealed to young people to shun cultism and kidnapping, warning that criminal activities ultimately destroy lives.
“I want to appeal to our people: stay away from cultism and stay away from kidnapping because it will take you nowhere. It is cheaper for you to maintain your standard than to say you want to go and kidnap. Because when you kidnap, what you have before, you will lose it. At the same time, you will lose your life.”
The Governor then unveiled plans to establish a special court dedicated to the speedy trial of kidnapping and cult-related offences.
“Now we are going to set up a special court to try kidnappers and cultists. Within two weeks, three weeks, we are done with it and I will sign it, your execution, hang you. I will take you to the roundabout, that is Ring Road Roundabout, so that the whole Edo people will see you. And this, I will not have any regret about it.
“So please don’t take my simplicity for granted,” he declared.
Speaking at the briefing, the Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, CP Monday Agbonika, described the arrest as a major breakthrough made possible through collaboration among security agencies and residents of the state.
“I’m very happy and delighted that we are here today. This success was recorded through the efforts of the State Police Command, who I must commend for their tireless efforts,” Agbonika said.
“Usually when we record cases, we have a lot of backlashes, people not believing that the police can carry it out. But you can see we are resilient and we continue to work.”
The police commissioner emphasized the importance of public cooperation in tackling insecurity.
“I must also commend the cooperation that we get from members of the community in Edo State. Even though we are still working on the issue of trust and confidence, I can see that the trust and confidence is building up and people are beginning to have more confidence in us. They are beginning to share information, important information.”
Agbonika also acknowledged the support of the Inspector-General of Police and advances in technology that have enhanced crime-fighting efforts.
“I want to appreciate the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, who has always supported us, especially with guidance and technical support. We are able to look into telephones and track very well. We have access to drones and all kinds of technology that bring us closer to the culprits.”
He further praised Governor Okpebholo for backing the fight against kidnapping and cultism.
“I must also commend the Executive Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, who has been very courageous in the fight against kidnapping and the fight against cultism in the state.
“The kind of synergy we have between the police, the military and other agencies, including the informal policing sectors like the Edo State Security Corps, is something that is worth emulating by other commands. We are working here so very well that you can’t even tell one agency from the other. The DSS gives us information and whenever we need backup, we also get support through the Inspector-General of Police.”
The commissioner, however, expressed concern over the spread of fake news, saying false reports were creating unnecessary panic among residents.
“Just this morning, we had a lot of information that some schools were being attacked in different parts of the state. When we conducted our inquiries, we found out they were all fake news. Before then, proactively, we had deployed to those areas and that was why we were able to establish very quickly that the information was not correct.
“It got to a stage that parents started panicking and going to those schools and withdrawing their children. So we must desist from this.”
He also warned against self-kidnapping and the indiscriminate sharing of unverified information on social media.
“We also have the issue of self-kidnapping, which is rearing its ugly head in the state. I want to use this opportunity to warn members of the public that these are crimes punishable by law. Members of the public should check their information before they repost because these pieces of information will not go viral if they are not quickly reposted by others.”
On the prosecution of the suspects, Agbonika assured residents that the police would expedite legal proceedings.
“You must understand that the criminal justice system involves the police, the judiciary and the corrections. At the side of the police, I can assure you that latest by next week Monday, we are in court. The rest is no longer in our hands.
“But His Excellency has just made it clear that the state has agreed to constitute a special court for kidnapping and cultism. That will probably make it faster at the other end. But at our own end, we are sure that by Monday we are in court.”
The commissioner disclosed that the kidnapped woman had already regained her freedom before the arrests were made.
“The woman who was kidnapped at the Vegetable Market was rescued. She has been released. In fact, her release was one of the first clues we had in this investigation. Ransom was paid and ransom was recovered,” he said.
He added that one of the suspects would be prosecuted while efforts were ongoing to apprehend the remaining fugitives.