No Hiding Place For Criminals: Edo Governor Reacts Fiercely To Disturbing Bandit Video

The Edo State Government has taken steps to restore calm after a viral video surfaced online showing a man claiming to be a bandit and issuing threats against Ekpoma and nearby communities.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

According to officials, Governor Monday Okpebholo was immediately briefed as the video began spreading, prompting him to convene an emergency security meeting with top security heads.

Sources familiar with the meeting said the Governor treated the situation with utmost urgency, noting that he had already been receiving routine updates on rising insecurity across the state.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, revealed that security surveillance had already been heightened in recent weeks across major highways and high-risk areas.

The enhanced security coverage spans the Benin–Auchi Expressway, Ekpoma–Uromi Road, Ehor–Iruekpen axis, Benin Bypass, Ewu–Irrua–Ubiaja corridor, and the Benin–Afuze–Auchi route. The objective, according to officials, is to detect threats early, respond swiftly, and maintain pressure on criminal elements.

Following the Governor’s latest directive, joint security teams comprising the DSS, Nigerian Army, Police, NSCDC, local vigilantes, and the Edo State Special Security Squad have intensified operations.

Patrols and search operations are currently underway in forests, border communities, and other locations frequently linked to criminal activities.

Itua confirmed that several arrests have been made in recent days, with multiple leads actively being pursued. He urged residents to stay calm, remain vigilant, and cooperate with security operatives, while warning against circulating unverified claims or fear-inducing videos.

He added that the ongoing operations will continue until every part of Edo State—from densely populated urban areas to remote rural communities—is safe for residents, travellers, and investors.

According to him, Governor Okpebholo remains fully committed to safeguarding lives and property, and “will continue to deploy every lawful measure to ensure that criminality finds no space to thrive in Edo State.”