From (L), Perm Sec. Edo Ministry of Information and Communication Strategy, Desmond Agbama, Commissioner, Prince Kassim Afuegbua, Director, Mrs. Rose Imonikhe and Chairman, NUJ, Edo State Council, Festus Alenkhe on Wednesday, 8 April, 2026 in Benin-City. Photo Credit: hilltopnationale.com
• Solicits collaboration, support
From our Bureau Chief, Benin
The Edo State Government has given account of its effort to curb insecurity particularly; the ravaging scourge of kidnapping and cultism in the last 18 months of coming into being.
Journalists at the media briefing of the Commissioner, Ministry of Information and Communication Strategy, Prince Kassim Afuegbua in Benin, on Wednesday, 8 April, 2026. Photo Credit: hilltopnationale.com
On Wednesday, 8 April, 2026, the State Commissioner for Orientation and Communication Strategy, Prince Kassim Afuegbua in a press briefing in Benin-City, the State Capital, gave a holistic report of the Senator Monday Okpebholo’s led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration’s performance in office.
Scoring the Government a pass mark, he however solicited the collaboration and support of everyone in the State, to help register more successes while acknowledging: “Government cannot do it alone!”
Report card of the security sector
The vibrant Commissioner asserts that the level of tranquility in the State, is also something to cheer about telling the story of successes of the Okpebholo’s administration.
In the area of security particularly plagued by Kidnapping; a sore point, in the last one month, the tempo has reduced drastically due to deliberate innovative policy and acts of the Government, he stated.
This momentum, Afuegbua disclosed, the Government wants to sustain hence it has directed the leadership of the 18 Local Government Councils in the State, to work in collaboration with the various security agencies to enable taking charge of their various domains.
“We have done a lot of bush combing, burnt a lot of hideouts in the forest, we have arrested quite a number of suspects who are undergoing prosecution currently, and we have been able to neutralise quite a number of them.”
Noting that the level of awareness about security challenges amongst the people is encouraging, Afuegbua, the Prince of Okpella disclosed that the State Government bought about a 100 Hilux vehicle and over 300 motorcycles and had distributed to the various security agencies to aide their operations.
Further in the intervention efforts of the Government, a command structure has been established in Edo Central to help the fight, against kidnapping scourge in the area, he disclosed.
“So, the Governor is doing so much and we are channeling resources we are getting from the Federal government as a result of increased allocations, to contain some of these developmental challenges.
“That is the kind of attention and devotion we are also giving to the issue of cultism. We are not tolerating cultists’ activities in the State particularly in the State Capital, Benin-City.
“The attendant killings before now have been minimised, mitigated and if not completely eroded.”
Afuegbua attributed the achievement in this area of the fight against cultism and its attendant negative activities, to the strong political will of the Governor.
“It was not an easy fight but the Governor was very resolute that you don’t need to kill your fellow man because you disagree. Shooting, killing; I think we have been able to arrest that.”
Talking about the need for symbiotic collaboration between the Government and the people, Afuegbua said; “So, we are looking at the rationality of an average Edo thinker and how they appreciate the Government and what they should do differently, to help the Government succeed.”
This is as he criticised the people for several negative acts he noted; do not help efforts of the Government to work for their well-being.
“…there are quite a number of things we do as citizens which also militate against the growth, development and progress of the State.”
However, the collaboration of everyone is needed as the Government alone cannot do it, Afuegbua appealed, as he acknowledged; that it was not yet Uhuru!
“But we want Edo people to appreciate us and continue to support the Government for the kind of effort that we are putting in place!”
From (L), Pem Sec. Edo Ministry of Information and Communication Strategy, Desmond Agbama, Commissioner Prince Kassim Afuegbua and Director, Mrs. Rose Imonikhe
Giving the vote of thanks, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, comrade Desmond Agbama, a journalist and former Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Edo State Council, harped on the need for feedback from Edo people which he pointed out was critical to helping Government design its policies, take decisions and actions.
