Why Edo was among first states to approve state police — Okpebholo

THE governor of Edo, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has said the state already has the structure for state police to commence and for that reason, the state House of Assembly was one of the first to pass the law as recommended by the National Assembly.

Okpebholo spoke in an interview with journalists in Benin-City as part of activities to mark his second year anniversary.

“We are prepared. We were one of the first to sign into law, when others were talking, we said no, it is working for us and right now, to be honest with you, even with our vigilantes, we already have state police because it is working for us. Edo state is safe.”
He said his state already has a working security architecture it has tested that could be used to track criminals even outside the state,” he said.

Okpebholo said “Remember there was this kidnapping that happened and within 24 hours which has never happened in Nigeria, we got the guys, so that is it. We are prepared to go to other states when they take any of our citizens. We did it in Kogi, then something happened in Ogun, I called the governor, I said, please, I don’t want my person to stay with this kidnapper for more than five days and as God would have it, he was able to get them out within a short time. So somebody has to be prudent with everything.”

On security in the state, Governor Okpebholo said his administration took stiff measures to reduce the level of killings and kidnapping in the state.

Some of the measures, he said, was destroying any building that was linked to kidnapping and cult related activities in the state irrespective of the social status of the person involved.

He said: “These are stiff measures we have taken that are really working for us. To be honest with you, if not that we have done that, maybe you won’t be able to stay in Benin for two nights. Today nightlife is back, business is booming at night, even supermarkets are beginning to open at night.

“In the next few weeks, it will be safer because there will be police at every corner of the state to watch everyone. They will be equipped even with motorbikes so that when somebody thinks he can run, then they will follow the person. Whether you take a bush path, they will follow you up.”