The Conference of Registered Political Parties (CRPP) has urged Governor Monday Okpebholo to use funds for the proposed airline tagged: ‘Edo Air’ to build roads in rural communities.
It said floating of an airline should not be immediate priority of Okpebholo’s administration.
CRPP said there were many roads especially in rural areas begging for rehabilitation and construction.
It said many villages were not accessible due to bad roads.
Regional Chairman of CRPP, Dr. Samson Isibor, in a statement issued in Benin City, said bad roads in rural communities hindered farmers from conveying their crops to markets.
Isibor advised Governor Okpebholo to use the money to revitalise moribund government companies for the purpose of creating jobs.
He listed the companies to include Uromi Cassavita, Ehor Fruit Juice Factory, Ewohimi Cassava Factory, Bendel Brewery and others.
According to him, “instead of wasting much money to acquire airlines, which are beneficial only to the rich and politicians, Edo State Government should revamp companies.
“Many state governments prioritise road construction. Why is Edo State Government different?
“We appeal to Governor Okpebholo to stop these wasteful spending not beneficial to the people of Edo State. We are ready to take him to court, if he goes ahead to implement the so-called Edo Airline.”
Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has presented his proposed Edo Air Initiative to the Federal Government.
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Patrick Ebojele, in a statement, said the governor made the presentation yesterday during his visit to Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, in Abuja.
Ebojele said both leaders held extensive and forward-looking discussions on the future of aviation in Nigeria, with a strong focus on advancing Edo State’s aviation sector.
He said the high-level engagement centred on the proposed Edo Air initiative, a strategic project of the Edo State Government aimed at strengthening the state’s aviation ecosystem, improving air connectivity, stimulating economic activities and opening new investment opportunities across the state.
Ebojele said Okpebholo described the engagement as a key part of his administration’s economic development drive.
He quoted Okpebholo as saying: “Today, I met with the Honourable Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, SAN, where we held fruitful discussions on aviation development in Nigeria, with a strong focus on advancing Edo State’s aviation sector. These engagements are part of our broader efforts to drive growth, improve connectivity and unlock new opportunities for Edo State.
“Edo State is deliberately positioning itself as a regional hub for business, logistics and tourism.’’
“My administration remains fully committed to doing everything necessary to position Edo as a standout destination for development and investment. The establishment of Edo Air will significantly boost economic activities, enhance tourism, and make transportation easier and more reliable for our people and investors alike.
“We are encouraged by the Federal Government’s willingness to partner with Edo State on this important project. Together, we will build an aviation system that supports growth, tourism, and regional development.”
The statement said Keyamo recalled Benin City’s historic role in Nigeria’s aviation sector during the era of the defunct Okada Air.
It quoted Keyamo as saying, “The initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s vision of strengthening regional connectivity and stimulating economic growth through aviation.
“Minister Keyamo assured the Governor of the Federal Ministry’s full support in actualising the Edo Air project and noted that a functional state-backed airline would enhance passenger movement, boost trade, attract investors, and create jobs for Nigerians, particularly youths.”
When Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo took the oath of office in November 2024, he inherited an education sector burdened by years of neglect — collapsing classrooms, demoralized teachers, overcrowded classrooms, and struggling tertiary institutions. Today, just over a year later, the narrative has changed dramatically. Edo State’s education system is now undergoing one of its most ambitious transformations in decades, and it is this sweeping turnaround that has earned Governor Okpebholo the New Telegraph Award for Best in Education.
This recognition is also a clear validation of his administration’s SHINE Agenda, the development blueprint guiding governance in Edo State. Education sits at the heart of SHINE because it drives every other sector — security, economic growth, innovation, social stability, and sustainable development. Okpebholo’s reforms show that SHINE is not a slogan, but a working framework delivering visible results.
For many observers of the Okpebholo government, the award is not a surprise. Education has emerged as one of the strongest pillars of his administration, not just in words but in measurable action. From early childhood to tertiary education, his government has rolled out policies and programmes that are redefining how learning is delivered, funded, and experienced across the state — all in line with SHINE’s focus on human capital development and social advancement.
At the heart of this reform is a simple but powerful belief: no society can rise above the quality of its education. Okpebholo made this principle central to his governance blueprint, treating education not as a social service alone but as an economic and developmental investment — a core objective of the SHINE Agenda’s prosperity and empowerment pillars.
The governor’s first major moves was a statewide audit of public schools. What emerged was a sobering picture — dilapidated buildings, leaking roofs, broken furniture, poor sanitation, and learning environments that discouraged both teachers and students. Rather than issue routine statements, the administration moved quickly into action, reflecting SHINE’s emphasis on action-oriented governance and institutional renewal.
Within his first 100 days in office, Okpebholo launched a massive school rehabilitation programme that targeted over 100 schools across Edo State. Classrooms were rebuilt, roofs replaced, water facilities restored, toilets upgraded, and school fences repaired. This was not cosmetic intervention. The goal was to create safe, functional, and dignified learning spaces where students could thrive and teachers could teach with pride — a practical expression of SHINE’s infrastructure and social development pillars.
As the months passed, the rehabilitation programme expanded. More schools were added, especially in rural communities in the three senatorial districts, that had suffered years of abandonment. Science laboratories were refurbished, and digital learning tools began to find their way into classrooms. The physical transformation of schools has become one of the most visible legacies of the Okpebholo administration and a clear reflection of SHINE’s commitment to equitable development across all communities.
But infrastructure alone does not educate children — teachers do. Recognising this, the governor placed teacher welfare and recruitment at the centre of his education reforms. Thousands of teachers who had served on contract for years were converted to permanent staff, bringing long-awaited job security and regular income. New teachers were recruited to fill staffing gaps, reduce classroom overcrowding, and improve learning outcomes — aligning directly with SHINE’s human capital and social protection objectives.
For many educators, this shift marked a turning point. Teachers who once struggled with irregular pay and poor working conditions now speak of renewed motivation and professional pride. Training programmes were also introduced to upgrade teaching skills, align classroom practices with modern standards, and prepare educators for digital learning environments — supporting SHINE’s innovation and capacity-building goals.
While basic education received urgent attention, Okpebholo did not overlook the crisis facing tertiary institutions. Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, the flagship state university, had been grappling with chronic underfunding, unpaid salaries, infrastructure decay, and student unrest. The administration responded decisively by increasing the institution’s monthly subvention from N41 million to N500 million — a historic jump that instantly stabilised operations and demonstrated SHINE’s focus on institutional sustainability and economic growth through education.
With improved funding, staff salaries were cleared, academic activities normalised, and critical infrastructure projects revived. Plans for a 1,500-seat lecture theatre and a 600-bed hostel were unveiled, aimed at easing overcrowding and improving student welfare. Administrative bottlenecks that had delayed the graduation and induction of medical and nursing students were resolved, allowing hundreds of young Edo citizens to proceed to national service after years of uncertainty — reinforcing SHINE’s vision of opportunity, inclusion, and social mobility.
The governor’s reforms extended beyond funding to systemic efficiency. Digitalisation was introduced into student records, certificate verification, and academic documentation, reducing fraud and making it easier for graduates to access their credentials anywhere in the world. This aligns squarely with SHINE’s innovation pillar, positioning Edo State’s education system for global competitiveness.
Access and inclusion have also defined Okpebholo’s education agenda. Recognising the dangers posed by out-of-school children, especially in underserved communities, the administration rolled out initiatives designed to bring young people back into classrooms. Free learning materials, community engagement campaigns, and partnerships with federal agencies were deployed to reduce dropout rates and expand enrolment — advancing SHINE’s commitment to inclusive development and social equity.
In higher education, collaboration with the Federal Government’s NELFund programme ensured that students were no longer sent home due to unpaid fees, easing the burden on families and allowing students to focus on their studies rather than survival. This reflects SHINE’s core belief that economic hardship should not block access to opportunity.
Another distinctive feature of Okpebholo’s education policy is the reintroduction of indigenous languages into school curricula. By reviving the teaching of Edo languages, the administration is strengthening cultural identity, preserving heritage, and enriching students’ cognitive development. This move aligns with SHINE’s emphasis on social cohesion, cultural sustainability, and community inclusion.
Vocational and technical education has also received renewed attention. The administration is repositioning technical colleges and skills acquisition centres to meet modern labour market demands, ensuring that students who choose vocational pathways graduate with employable skills. This approach aligns education with job creation, entrepreneurship, and economic diversification — key pillars of the SHINE Agenda.
Beyond policies and projects, what stands out is the coherence of the governor’s education strategy. Infrastructure, teacher welfare, student access, tertiary revitalisation, digital innovation, and cultural inclusion are not treated as isolated interventions but as interconnected components of a single vision: to build an education system that produces competent, confident, and competitive citizens — the human foundation of SHINE’s prosperity goals.
This holistic approach has not gone unnoticed. National leaders, education stakeholders, and international partners have commended Edo State’s progress under Okpebholo. The state’s Commissioner for Education has also received international recognition, reflecting the global resonance of the reforms underway and the credibility of Edo’s education transformation.
It is against this backdrop that New Telegraph’s decision to honour Governor Monday Okpebholo with the Best in Education Award must be understood. The award is not based on promises or political rhetoric but on visible, measurable, and impactful transformation across the education sector — and on the clear alignment of these reforms with the SHINE Agenda.
In just over a year, Edo State has moved from educational stagnation to purposeful renewal. Schools that were once unsafe are now functional. Teachers who were once uncertain about their future now work with stability and confidence. Students who faced exclusion now have renewed access to learning. Universities that were once in crisis are now regaining stability and academic focus.
For parents, the changes mean safer schools, better teachers, and brighter prospects for their children. For teachers, it means dignity, job security, and professional growth. For students, it means opportunity, hope, and the tools to compete in an increasingly complex world.
As Governor Okpebholo prepares to receive the New Telegraph Best in Education Award, the honour serves as both recognition and responsibility — recognition of achievements already recorded and responsibility to sustain and expand these gains. The education sector is dynamic, and reform is a continuous process. But if the past year is any indication, Edo State’s future under Okpebholo’s leadership looks intellectually brighter and structurally stronger.
In a country where education often struggles for attention amidst competing priorities, Edo State is proving that with focused leadership, political will, and strategic investment, meaningful change is possible. That is why Governor Monday Okpebholo is being celebrated — not just as a politician, but as an education reformer whose work, guided by the SHINE Agenda, is reshaping lives, communities, and the future of Edo State.
•Ebojele is the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo
Edo Governor Monday Okpebholo has been awarded Governor of the Year by New Telegraph Newspapers.
The award is in recognition of the giant strides his administration has made in the education sector.
The award will be conferred on him during the award ceremonies coming up later in the year.
Within the first year of the administration, it has constructed over 100 schools, employed over 6,000 teachers and increased subvention to tertiary institutions which saw Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma having its subvention increased from N41 million monthly to N500 million.
Listing some other achievements of the Governor, the Commissioner for Education, Dr Paddy Iyamu, mentioned the construction of new workshops, procurement of sophisticated equipment and strengthening technical colleges across the state.
” The state government has also signed international partnerships that have seen many teachers and students from the state going abroad to study and learn. The governor has also increased the subvention to Edo University, Iyamho from N25 million monthly to N250 million. We have done the digitalisation of certificates across schools, and anybody anywhere can have access to their certificates.
” There is also the construction of six-kilometre internal roads in the only state owned polytechnic in Usen after 23 years of its existence via partnership with the NDDC. We have introduced bursary payment to students after 20 years. There is also the ongoing dualisation of Ekpoma Road with concrete and fixing of street lights with support from President Bola Tinubu to ease the age-long suffering of both students and commuters
” Also, it is the administration that resolved the predicament of 128 medical students of AAU who could not be inducted four years after graduation. The same way the government resolved the issue of 810 nursing graduates of the university who were not inducted. Similarly, over 1,000 students who had irregularities in their admission processes with JAMB were unable to be mobilised for the NYSC scheme until the governor stepped in.
” The government is not relenting as there is the ongoing construction of 600 hostel capacity in AAU, as well as the ongoing work on two in one 500 sitting capacity lecture theatre in AAU. Teachers welfare is also top priority and our teachers have never had it so good. There is also this strategic partnership with NELFUND to ensure no child in Edo tertiary institution is sent home because of school fees,” he said.
Iyamu noted that the recognition given Governor Okpebholo was well deserved and that it would spur him to do more, adding that more are still coming.
Edo Governor Monday Okpebholo has sacked his Special Adviser on Youth Mobilisation, Collins Aigbogun.
Aigbogun was a former Chairman of Esan West local government area.
He was arrested and questioned over the violent protest that rocked Ekpoma.
Secretary to the State Government, Musa Ikhilor, in a statement, said the Governor approved appointment of Christopher Udobor Iyase as Aigbogun’s replacement.
“Iyase is a dedicated youth mobilizer with a strong passion for the wellbeing and welfare of youths across Edo State. He holds a degree in Public Administration from the University of Benin.
“The appointment takes effect from 16th January, 2026.”
The decisive action of Governor Monday Okpebholo against kidnappers in Edo State, it seems, has not deterred their activities in the Heartbeat State, as cases persist in more brutal manner. Osagie Otabor in Benin, reports.
It was a sad New Year for Mr. Tahir Momoh. His son, Ibrahim, has been in the kidnappers’ den since January 2nd, 2026. Ibrahim is a medical doctor currently on his housemanship at the Edo State Teaching Hospital, Auchi, headquarters of Estako West local government area.
Ibrahim was abducted alongside his brother, Abu, a graduate of the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, at their residence along City Pride Road, Igbira Camp, Auchi, Edo North. Abu was killed by the kidnappers while allegedly attempting to escape. He has since been buried according to Islamic rites.
It was learnt that the kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of N200m but later reduced it to N100m. Tahir Momoh, who spoke to our reporter on Thursday, said his son, Ibrahim, was yet to be released. He said the kidnappers were still insisting on the N100m ransom.
Last month, a couple, Mr. and Mrs. Aifedighi, was abducted from their residence at Ujemen, Ekpoma, headquarters of Esan West local government area. The kidnappers demanded N100m ransom which the family could not raise. Report says the wife was beaten to death while the husband was rescued few days later.
Son of the victims, Mike, said the family was shocked the manner their mother was beaten to death. He said his father had been hospitalised since he was rescued.
“My mother was badly beaten. They battered her head. My father has been in the hospital since he came home. Two suspects have been arrested.”
In August last year, eight personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) attached to the BUA Cement Factory in Okpella, Etsako East Local Government Area, were killed by kidnappers.
The slain NSCDC official were escorting five Chinese expatriates when the kidnappers ambushed them at the company’s entrance.
One Chinese expatriate was abducted by the kidnappers.
On December 11, last year, kidnappers stormed the residence of Andrew Ilabeshi at Kalabar Quarters, Afokpella, Estako East local government area. They killed the man and abducted his twins aged 16. The twins were released on December 26th after payment of N10m.
These are among several other kidnapping cases that have plagued across Edo State in recent months. Last week, students of the Ambrose Ali University, AAU, joined youths in Ekpoma to stage a peaceful protest over incessant kidnappings in the area. The protesters said the demonstration was to draw attention of the government at all levels to the persistent insecurity in the locality.
Spokesman for AAU, Mike Aladenika, has however insisted that the students of the institution did not participate in the protest.
“The University wishes to inform the general public, students, staff, and stakeholders that the organisers of this event are not registered students, members of the University Students’ Union Government, or affiliated with the institution in any capacity.
“The Management condemns any attempts to disrupt the peaceful academic environment and assures that such unauthorised actions will be met with appropriate measures to safeguard the university’s interests and maintain order.”
In Auchi, the Igbira camp area and Igbeh road are said to be notorious for kidnapping activities. What is worrisome to many residents is the presence of military checkpoints at the Igbira camp. Residents in Auchi said contributions were made every Jattu market day for payment of ransom.
“The energy our Governor used to fight cultism is not being used to fight kidnappers. People are selling their houses to pay ransom. Every Jattu market day, they collect money from people to pay ransom. At Igbeh road, you see people begging for money to pay ransom.
“Our Vigilante are not being paid. They cannot go to the bush to face kidnappers with AK47 rifle.”
A Chief in Auchi kingdom, Chief Duru Yusuf, said payment of ransom by residents was inevitable.
“We are doing our best as a community even though the government says it is doing its best. We are the people feeling the heat. People are contributing money to pay ransom. We don’t encourage payment of ransom but sometimes it becomes inevitable.
“The vigilante are not are not being paid. They are volunteers. They can only do their best. There are two checkpoints before the Army barracks near the Igbira camp. They have not stopped anything. Government should step up its responsibility so that we can do our business in peace.”
Another Auchi community leader who gave his name as Abdul urged the police to focus on the Igbira camp due to incessant kidnappings in the area.
He said many persons have been abducted within the vicinity.
“I think it’s time the police beam a searchlight on the Igbira community in Auchi as the number of kidnapping around that area is alarming.
“The problem is these boys don’t want to work but are looking for easy money. The earlier their criminal activities are halted, the better for Auchi and other communities around that area.
“The government should also take action so that the people can see that they are important.”
In November last year, the Edo State Government analysis of security data showed a reported 59.4% improvement in security incident rates over previous year, with 2025 recording the lowest incident rate since 2018. It said the data demonstrated effectiveness of strategic investment in security.
Reacting to the increasing kidnapping, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo, Patrick Ebojele, in a statement, said the incidents would not diminish the resolve of the state to sustain and intensify its fight against kidnapping and other crimes.
Ebojele said the existential threat of kidnapping has become a worrisome issue that has taken more than a devoted attention of government.
“But for our intervention and the quality of what we have invested in curbing kidnapping, the spate would have been more alarming than what we presently have.
“The Okpebholo-led administration has been relentless in providing solutions to several security challenges; the peaceful and crime-free yuletide celebration is an indication of our commitment to making Edo state safe for all.
“Before the yuletide season, men of the Operation Rescue carried out a holistic bush combing exercise across Auchi, Agenebode, Okpella, Fugar and Owan areas to expose kidnappers’ den. The exercise was not only successful, the number of persons arrested and being prosecuted presently underscored the extent of the exercise. The Operation Rescue team was able to destroy quite a number of hide-outs of these kidnappers aside from the arrest. Some were also killed in the course of fire power exchanges in the forests. This is to make the point that the government is not resting on its oars, and the initial perennial incidences of kidnapping have been decimated to its lowest ebb. Our deliberate effort to nip the issue in the bud has yielded a lot of successes and we are determined to make Edo safe for all.
“What we expect from members of the Edo public is a show of solidarity and cooperation, particularly in the area of intelligence sharing with men of the Operation Rescue and other security agencies. Security concerns are a function of both the government and the people they govern. It is a collective indulgence that should not be left in the hands of the government alone. We feel pained as a government that the kidnappers claimed the life of Dr. Abu Momoh Tahir at a time we thought we had gotten to the safer corridor of our security engagement. We will continue to improve on our effort to make Edo non-habitable for crimes and criminalities as we call on all to be vigilant around their environment at all times. If anyone observes strange movements around their vicinity, appropriate report should be given to the law enforcement agents without delay.”
On his part, Governor Okpebholo said the state was almost a war zone, plagued by cult killings, kidnappings, armed robbery, and cybercrime when he assumed office in 2024.
“We acted decisively, repealed the weak anti-cultism law, passed a stronger one, supplied 60 Hilux vans and 400 motorcycles to security agencies, and recruited and trained 2,500 officers into the Edo State Security Corps. These measures have drastically reduced insecurity. Let it be known: Edo will no longer be a safe place for criminals.”
Oborevwori, Idris sign Delta’s N1.729tr, Kebbi’s N642.9b 2026 budgets into law
From Osagie Otabor, Benin, Simon Utebor, Asaba and Ahmed Baba Ahmed, Birnin Kebbi
Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has presented a budget proposal of N939,850,000,000 for the 2026 fiscal year to the House of Assembly for scrutiny and passage.
The 2026 proposed budget is N335 billion higher than that of the outgoing year, which is N606 billion.
Governor Okpebholo, who tagged the Appropriation Bill as “Budget of Hope and Growth”, said it sought to consolidate on the gains recorded during his first year in office, expand reach, and restore hope of Edo people in governance.
The governor said the proposed budget would speak to the needs of Edo people as well as focus on security, infrastructure, agriculture, education, job creation and healthcare.
The 2026 capital expenditure, according to the governor, is N637 billion, representing 68 per cent, while the recurrent expenditure is N302 billion, representing 32 per cent.
He said the state planned to fund the budget from N160 billion to be obtained from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), N480 billion from FAAC allocations, N153 billion from Capital receipts and grants, while N146 billion would be obtained from Public-Private Partnerships (PPP).
Breaking down the proposed budget on sectoral allocations, the economic sector got N614.2 billion, the social sector got N148.9 billion, the administrative sector got N157.7 billion, while the justice sector got N19 billion.
Okpebholo said: “Edo State will continue to prioritise capital projects such as roads, schools, hospitals, water, housing, and economic projects. Our people want real development they can see and feel.
“We will not impose unnecessary financial pressure on citizens. Instead, we will strengthen systems and block leakages.
“The vision of the 2026 Budget of Hope and Growth is simple; it is to bring about prosperity and a united Edo State where every citizen has hope and every community feels the impact of governance.”
Receiving the Appropriation Bill, Speaker Blessing Agbebaku assured the governor that it would be given speedy passage.
Also, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori yesterday signed the state’s 2026 Appropriation Bill of N1.729 trillion tagged: “Budget of Accelerating the MORE Agenda,” alongside three other key Bills passed by the House of Assembly into law.
Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris also signed the N642.9 billion Appropriation Bill for the 2026 fiscal year into law.
The assents set the stage for accelerated development, enhanced security and strengthened social welfare across the states.
The other three Bills the Delta State governor assented to are: the Delta State Social Investment Programme Law, the Delta State Colleges of Education Law, 2025, and the Delta State Anti-Terrorism and Anti-Cultism (Amendment) Law, 2025.
Oborevwori described the 2026 budget as “not just a budget of figures, but a budget of vision, action and expected deliverables for the next twelve months”.
The governor assured Delta residents that the state would hit the ground running in 2026 to accelerate development across key sectors.
The N1,729,881,208,779 budget represents an increase of over 70 per cent compared to that of 2025.
The governor said the estimate, though ambitious, is achievable, with 70 per cent dedicated to capital expenditure and 30 per cent to recurrent spending, thus underscoring his administration’s commitment to infrastructure-led growth and sustainable development.
He recalled that in 2025, the state intensified investments in infrastructure, security, fiscal discipline and revenue growth, leading to improved internally generated revenue (IGR) without imposing additional burdens on citizens.
Also, the Kebbi State Appropriation Bill had been adopted by the House of Assembly and handed to the governor by Speaker Usman Muhammad‑Zuru at Government House in Birnin Kebbi for assent.
Signing the budget into law, Governor Idris hailed the Speaker and other law,akers for the swift passage of the budget.
“I am the happiest person because this government truly belongs to the people of the state.
“Whatever we do is done in the best interest of the people. We are working harmoniously with the State House of Assembly to move the state forward and take it to greater heights, in line with our people‑oriented governance,” he said.
The governor emphasised the need to increase the internally generated revenue (IGR), stressing that federal allocations alone would not suffice.
“People should understand that the budget is not money already in hand; rather, it is a projection of expected revenue, either from IGR or federal allocations,” he explained.
Idris described the legislature as a true representative of the people, adding that it had carefully considered and ratified several executive‑initiated Bills.
Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has been commended for the downward trend in cult related killings in the state.
Mr. John Mayaki, a former Chief Press Secretary to ex-Governor Godwin Obaseki, said the calm was neither accidental nor imagined.
It was, he argued, the clearest evidence yet of a decisive shift in the state’s security trajectory under Governor Monday Okpebholo.
In a briefing, Mayaki hailed the governor for what he described as a “sharp and measurable decline” in cult and communal killings across the state, particularly in Benin City and other urban flashpoints.
“Who among us has not noticed the difference?” he asked. “For the first time in years, seasonal periods that used to be soaked in fear but this is no longer the case. Today, under Governor Monday Okpebholo, we are experiencing relative calm.”
According to figures compiled from open-source media reports, police statements, state government disclosures and civil society security trackers, Edo State recorded an estimated 180 cult-related killings between 2021 and 2023, a period marked by persistent reprisals and daylight executions.
December 2023 alone saw more than 30 deaths from clashes between rival cult groups, while then-Governor Obaseki publicly acknowledged that roughly 135 lives were lost between July and December 2023, encompassing both cult violence and communal conflicts.
“These were not isolated incidents,” Mr. Mayaki said. “They were routine, predictable and tragically normalized.”
The pattern, he argued, was one of frequency and entrenchment. Under the previous administration, cult violence followed a grim rhythm: attacks, reprisals, press statements condemning the killings, and then silence until the next round. “There was no sustained deterrence,” he said, “and no observable downward trend across eight years.”
By contrast, data from 2025 suggest a markedly different picture. While cult-related violence has not been eliminated, Mr. Mayaki noted that reported fatalities under the current administration have remained in single digits for most periods, with 13 deaths recorded in July 2025, a figure he described as “deeply unfortunate, but incomparable to the cumulative triple-digit tolls of the past.”
“The scale, the frequency and the cumulative death toll have crashed,” he said. “That is the key point.”
Under Governor Okpebholo, cult activity has been reframed as a security emergency, rather than a routine law-and-order problem. The administration has backed this shift with executive actions, legislative support, targeted arrests, bans on identified groups and firm police ultimatums. Incidents, when they occur, are met with rapid deployments rather than delayed responses.
“What we are seeing is disruption. The cycles of reprisal that once defined Edo’s cult wars are being broken before they spiral.”
Mayaki was careful to avoid claims of total victory. “No serious person will say the problem has been completely eradicated,” he said. “But governance is about direction and responsiveness. On both counts, this administration has changed the narrative.”
He said residents are more relax without fear this festive period and in their daily life. In neighborhoods once accustomed to curfews imposed by fear rather than law, evenings have grown quieter. Traders report fewer sudden closures. Families speak of movement without constant anxiety.
Mayaki insists, the evidence points in one direction. “In the past, cult violence was higher in volume, longer in duration and deeply entrenched,” he said. “Under Okpebholo, it is being confronted, constrained and rolled back.”
In its continued move to curb kidnappings and cult activities in Edo State, the Edo State Government has demolished properties linked to cult activities in Uromi, Esan North-East Local Government Area.
Several buildings belonging to suspected cultists or linked to criminal activities have been demolished across the state.
Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo, Dr. Patrick Ebojele, in a statement, said the demolition in Uromi followed an earlier security raid conducted on November 17 by the State’s Special Security Squad in collaboration with the Nigerian Army and other security agencies.
Dr. Ebojele said 31 suspects were arrested at various hideouts, while leaders of the Black Axe and Eiye confraternities were given a seven-day ultimatum to surrender.
Ebojele said the no compliance after expiration of the ultimatum made the state government moved to pull down buildings where incriminating evidence were uncovered.
He said the operation was led by the Principal Security Officer to Governor Monday Okpebholo, supported by the Divisional Police Officer in Uromi, local vigilante groups, the Esan North-East Anti-Kidnapping Committee and personnel of the Nigerian Army.
Edo Coordinator of Operation Flush Out Kidnapping and Cultism, Idemudia Noah, said the demolition became necessary after the suspects failed to take advantage of both the ultimatum and an extended grace period.
Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has presented cheques totaling over N200 million to 47 families of deceased state workers, as part of the state’s implementation of the Group Life Insurance Scheme in partnership with Tangerine Life Insurance.
The governor also announced scholarships for one member of each bereaved family, saying the gesture was driven by compassion and a commitment to support families who lost their loved ones in active service.
“This is not just about insurance; it is about goodness,” Okpebholo said. “The important thing is that you receive your entitlements because of the painful loss you have suffered. Today, we are supporting you further by giving scholarships to one member of each family. This is our way of ensuring you are not left behind.”
He commended Tangerine Life Insurance for its partnership and efficiency, noting that it has helped position Edo State as one of the leading states in pension and insurance reforms.
Managing Director/CEO of Tangerine Life Insurance, Kehinde Borisade, praised the governor for transforming Edo State into a model for pension reform and workers’ welfare.
“In implementing the Pension and Insurance Acts, Edo State stands out as one of the leading states, if not the leading state,” Borisade said. “Your Excellency has shown rare leadership by caring not only for active workers, but also for the families of those who have passed on. Few states in Nigeria do this.”
In a related development, Governor Okpebholo also commissioned five vehicles donated to the Edo Command of the Nigeria Correctional Service to enhance the movement of suspects and defendants to court.
“If inmates cannot get to court, they cannot get justice. This is why we responded immediately,” the governor said while handing over the vehicles.
Controller Sunday Oyakhire received the vehicles on behalf of the Correctional Service and the Controller-General, expressing gratitude for the support.
