We Must Protect Our Own’ – Okpebholo Unveils Bold Plan To Halt Edo Migration Tragedies

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has rolled out an ambitious and coordinated strategy, spearheaded by the Edo State Migration Agency, to redefine migration governance, promote social justice, and ensure economic reintegration.

In a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, Governor Okpebholo reaffirmed his government’s resolve to eliminate irregular migration, human trafficking, and the associated violations of human rights that have plagued the state for years.

He emphasized that his administration is committed to the welfare of all Edo citizens—both at home and in the diaspora—stating that no one should be forced into dangerous migration routes through the Sahel or be subjected to modern-day slavery abroad.

“No Edo person must die unjustly,” Okpebholo firmly declared.

Director-General of the Edo State Migration Agency, Lucky Agazuma, added that the state has adopted a strategic, people-focused approach to tackling irregular migration, which has severely affected the state’s youth.

According to Agazuma, the agency collaborates with faith-based groups, traditional leaders, civil society organizations, and international development partners to address the issue. He highlighted that no previous Edo administration has taken such a thorough, policy-driven, and urgent stance on the crisis as Governor Okpebholo’s.

He also urged embassies to facilitate safe migration by making legal pathways more affordable and accessible.

Under Okpebholo’s leadership, the state has successfully carried out major rescue operations, including the return and rehabilitation of trafficked Edo girls from Libya and Burkina Faso. One notable case saw the arrest and prosecution of a native doctor infamous for conducting trafficking-related rituals.

Agazuma noted,

“The governor has placed the safety, dignity, and empowerment of Edo people—especially trafficking survivors and returnees—at the heart of his migration agenda.”

The government has introduced two flagship policy frameworks:

• S³ Model – See it, Say it, Sort it: Encourages community reporting of suspected trafficking or migration-related offenses.

• R³ Model – Re-admit, Rehabilitate, Reintegrate: Offers psychosocial care, vocational training, start-up funding, and long-term reintegration plans for returnees.

To challenge dangerous myths around migration, the agency is actively running a public awareness campaign, aiming to provide honest and realistic information about life abroad—countering glamorized portrayals often seen during festive visits.

Additionally, the agency has reached out to over 20 embassies—especially in the European Union—urging them to reform visa processes, lower application costs, and expand legal travel and work opportunities.