BENIN CITY — The Edo State Government has intensified its crackdown on violent crime with a renewed security collaboration aimed at dismantling cultist networks and kidnapping syndicates across the state.
Governor Monday Okpebholo announced the development after a high-level meeting with commanders of the state’s Special Security Squad, held at the Government House in Benin City.
The multi-agency task force includes personnel from the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), local hunters, vigilante groups, and former cultists who now serve as informants and peace advocates.
“We had a strategic session focused on one goal: making Edo safe,” Okpebholo said. “This is about security and the economy. Without peace, we can’t build prosperity.”
The Governor was joined at the meeting by his Deputy, Hon. Dennis Idahosa; the Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Musa Ikhilor; and security advisor Comrade Ameloemen Idemudia Noah.
Since the squad’s formation, security officials say there has been a noticeable drop in violent crime, particularly in hotspots across Benin City. Multiple raids have led to the arrest of suspected cult leaders and the recovery of weapons.
The government says the initiative is designed to combine force, intelligence, and community engagement to curb the rising tide of urban violence.
