Our attention has been drawn to yet another reckless, misleading, and baseless statement from Chris Osa Nehikhare, the Publicity Secretary of the Edo PDP Caretaker Committee. His latest piece is nothing short of a desperate, fear-mongering diatribe designed to mislead Edo people, scare off potential investors, and distract from the undeniable security progress being made under Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration.
For clarity, Edo State is not, and will never be, the so-called “capital of kidnapping and violent crimes” as Nehikhare maliciously claims. This is a dishonest fabrication from a party whose time in power was marked by gross incompetence, abject failure, and outright surrender to criminals.
If anyone should be silent on security matters, it is the PDP. Under the watch of the PDP, cultists took over Edo State, leaving over 100 people dead in a wave of attacks, with the then governor admitting he was helpless and overwhelmed. The security architecture was further crippled by neglect, with the government procuring second-hand, unfit sienna vehicles that failed to serve their purpose. Vigilante groups and local security outfits were abandoned with the PDP government making no provision for the renumeration. The total collapse of security under the Obaseki-led PDP government reached its zenith when the very Chairman of the party in Edo State, Anthony Aziegbemi, was brazenly kidnapped in the heart of the city—GRA, Benin. This shocking incident exposed the PDP’s utter helplessness and inability to protect even its own leaders, let alone the people of Edo State.
It is laughable that Nehikhare, a man who defended the catastrophic failure of the PDP government, is now shedding crocodile tears over insecurity. The same PDP-led government abandoned security, allowed cultists to take over the state, and openly admitted helplessness as killings skyrocketed. Edo people have not forgotten that it was under PDP’s watch that security in the state completely collapsed, forcing citizens to live in fear.
Governor Okpebholo’s security vote is being prudently utilized for the protection of lives and property, not squandered like in the past. Edo people are seeing the difference already—security agencies have been strengthened, kidnappers are being flushed out, and criminals no longer have a free hand to operate.
The Obaseki government, despite all its noise, could not apprehend the kidnappers, proving that they had completely lost control of the state’s security architecture. Yet today, the same PDP dares to question a government that has taken bold steps to reverse the mess they created?
Unlike the PDP’s years of excuses and failures, Governor Monday Okpebholo has hit the ground running, implementing concrete and strategic measures to secure the state:
1. Total Crackdown on Cultism: Under Governor Okpebholo, cultists who once terrorized Edo with impunity have been put on the run. His administration declared an all-out war on cult groups, leading to a drastic reduction in cult-related killings.
2. Deployment of Special Tactical Teams: The government swiftly deployed a Special Tactical Team to Agenebode, leading to the timely rescue of kidnapped victims and the dismantling of criminal hideouts.
3. Security Success in Uromi and Environs: In another swift operation, kidnapped victims were rescued, and criminal gangs were flushed out in Uromi and surrounding areas.
4. Tougher Laws Against Crime: Unlike the PDP’s lip service to security, Governor Okpebholo has already sponsored and passed a new Cultism Prohibition Law, imposing severe penalties on cultists and their sponsors.
5. Massive Security Equipment Procurement: Unlike the PDP government, which procured second-hand, unserviceable security vehicles, Governor Okpebholo has delivered brand new Toyota Hilux vehicles to security agencies, ensuring enhanced patrol and rapid response.
6. 1,000 High-Performance Motorcycles for Security Operations: The state government has also acquired 1,000 motorcycles for bush combing, tactical pursuit of kidnappers, and improved security coverage in hard-to-reach areas.
7. Public Safety Response Team: To complement the efforts of security agencies, the governor has established the Public Safety Response Team, which has significantly improved surveillance and enforcement of public order.
8. Reconstituting Edo State Security Corps & Illegal Arms Mop-Up: The Edo State Security Corps has been revalidated, and over 5,000 illegal firearms have been recovered, making it one of the most successful mop-up exercises in recent times.
It is no secret that Edo is a growing economic hub with increasing investor interest under Governor Okpebholo’s leadership. Nehikhare’s attempt to paint the state as a war zone is not just a shameless lie, but a deliberate and desperate move to scare off investors and sabotage the state’s economic growth.
This reckless propaganda will not succeed. Investors and business owners know the truth—Edo is open for business, security is improving, and the government is fully committed to creating a safe and prosperous environment for all. Unlike the PDP’s years of cluelessness and stagnation, Governor Okpebholo is providing credible leadership and strategic solutions that will make Edo one of the safest and most investment-friendly states in Nigeria.
Edo people have rejected PDP’s lies and propaganda. The state is on the path to security and progress, thanks to Governor Monday Okpebholo’s bold and proactive leadership. No amount of politically motivated falsehoods from a failed PDP propaganda machine can erase the progress being made.
Chris Nehikhare and the Edo PDP should bury their heads in shame for trying to mislead the public and scare investors away. Edo people know the truth, and the truth is that Governor Okpebholo is delivering real results in security, not PDP’s empty noise.
