In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, the governor made this declaration following a high-level, closed-door meeting with commanders and leaders of the Edo Special Security Squad, held on Wednesday evening at the Government House in Benin City.
Present at the strategic session were Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa, Secretary to the State Government Musa Ikhilor, a prominent member of the Special Security Squad Ameloemen Idemudia Noah, alongside other key security stakeholders.
Governor Okpebholo described the meeting as a success, emphasising the need to strengthen security operations across the state.
“We had a very useful meeting centred on the fight against cultism and kidnapping. Our goal is to ensure that EdoState remains safe for everyone, which in turn will support a thriving economy. That is the core reason for today’s meeting,” the governor stated.
Since the official launch of the Special Security Squad, Edo State has witnessed a noticeable reduction in violent crime, particularly in hotspot areas. The governor’s statement noted that a sense of calm is gradually returning to many communities.
The security squad—comprising operatives from the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), local hunters, vigilante networks, and even repentant cultists—has been actively identifying flashpoints, executing surprise raids, and arresting key suspects involved in cult-related violence and abductions.
According to the government, the squad’s coordinated efforts have significantly restored peace, especially within Benin City and its environs, as multiple leaders of notorious cult groups have been apprehended.
Governor Okpebholo reaffirmed his administration’s zero-tolerance approach to insecurity, assuring residents that law enforcement agencies will not relent until all criminal elements are uprooted.
