Okpebholo Credits Tinubu’s Support for Crushing Kidnapping, Cultism in Edo State
Benin City, Nigeria—October 6, 2026—Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has publicly credited President Bola Tinubu for the progress his administration has made in tackling kidnapping, cultism, banditry, and other violent crimes.
Speaking during a working tour of Edo North Senatorial District on Tuesday, the governor told party faithful in Owan West and Owan East Local Government Areas that the political will and strength behind his security campaign came directly from the Presidency.
“The political will and strength I have to fight insecurity in the state is because of the support from President Tinubu. The strength to fight kidnapping, cultism, banditry, and other criminality in the state is as a result of the support from Mr President,” Okpebholo said.
The governor visited several community landmarks, including Olegauma Primary School in Uzebba Illeha, Obe Primary School in Sabongidda-Ora, Afuze Mini Stadium, and Abadakhigua Primary School in Otuo.
At each stop he combined security updates with political mobilization for the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Okpebholo told residents that improved security has already produced tangible results. Farmers who once abandoned their land for fear of kidnappers are gradually returning to their fields, while cult-related killings that once terrorized parts of the state have been significantly brought under control.
He also linked the state’s improved fiscal capacity to the removal of the fuel subsidy, saying the policy has freed up more resources for development projects across Edo.
Context of the Security Drive
Since assuming office, Okpebholo has made the fight against violent crime a central pillar of his administration’s SHINE Agenda.
His government has strengthened the Edo State Security Corps, recruited forest guards, empowered community vigilante groups, and established a special criminal court dedicated to speedy trials of kidnapping and cultism cases.
In recent months the special court has delivered high-profile verdicts, including death sentences for suspects convicted in a June 2026 broad-daylight abduction at the Vegetable Market in Benin City.
Civil society groups have publicly praised the governor’s approach and urged other states to study the Edo model.
Political Undertone
The comments came as Okpebholo continues intensive grassroots mobilization for the APC. Party leaders in the state have set ambitious vote targets for President Tinubu’s expected re-election bid in 2027, and the governor has repeatedly framed security gains as evidence of effective partnership between the state and the federal government.
While the governor’s claims of improved safety have been welcomed by supporters and some civil society voices, the broader challenge of insecurity across Nigeria remains complex. Independent verification of crime statistics and the long-term sustainability of the current approach will continue to shape public assessment of the results.
For now, Okpebholo is presenting the relative calm in parts of Edo as proof that strong political will—backed by the center—can deliver measurable change on the ground.
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