BENIN CITY — Residents of Benin City, the Edo State capital, have expressed mixed but largely security-focused reactions to Tuesday’s judgment of the Edo State Special Criminal Court, which sentenced four persons to death for their involvement in the abduction of a woman at the Vegetable Market, off Airport Road, Benin City.
Justice Aigbona Terry Momodu, who delivered the judgment on September 29, 2026, sentenced Marvellous Isaac, Wisdom Michael, Rufus Emete Michael and Gift Raphael to death on various counts arising from an 11-count charge bordering on kidnapping, conspiracy, armed robbery, cultism and unlawful possession of firearms.
The verdict marked the maiden judgment of the Edo State Special Criminal Court, established to handle kidnapping, cultism and other serious criminal cases and to expedite the prosecution of violent crimes in the state.
Reacting to the judgment, some residents said the verdict had reinforced public expectations for a stronger and more effective criminal justice response to kidnapping and other violent crimes.
One of the residents, Pa David Osonobun, said the judgment was significant because it demonstrated that cases involving serious crimes could be prosecuted and determined within a reasonable period.
According to him, “People want to see an end to the era when criminals are arrested and cases drag on for years without conclusion. A functioning justice system is important in the fight against insecurity.”
For residents around the Vegetable Market, off Airport Road, where the incident occurred, the judgment was particularly significant because the victim was reportedly abducted in broad daylight in a busy commercial environment.
A resident of the area said the development should serve as a warning to
criminals who believe that crowded places provide cover for their activities.
“We have lost too many lives to kidnapping and violent crimes. Every lawful effort that can help restore peace is welcome,” the resident said.
Another resident, who described the court’s decision as an indication that the authorities were taking violent crimes seriously, called for sustained collaboration among the judiciary, police, other security agencies and members of the public.
He said residents must also remain vigilant and provide useful information to security agencies whenever they notice suspicious movements or activities.
For many residents, however, the significance of the judgment goes beyond the punishment imposed on the four convicts.
The speed with which the case progressed from investigation to trial and judgment has also attracted attention, particularly because the Special Criminal Court was established partly to address delays associated with the prosecution of kidnapping, cultism and other violent-crime cases.
Some residents therefore urged the authorities to sustain the tempo by ensuring that other pending cases receive expeditious attention while observing due process and the rights of accused persons.
They also stressed that convictions alone would not completely address insecurity, calling for stronger intelligence gathering, effective policing, improved community surveillance and measures to prevent young people from being recruited into criminal and cult groups.
The residents said the combined efforts of the government, security agencies, traditional institutions, community leaders and citizens remained necessary to make Benin City and other parts of Edo State safer.
The maiden judgment of the Special Criminal Court has consequently renewed public attention on the role of the judiciary in the state’s fight against kidnapping and other violent crimes, with residents expressing hope that the court will continue to provide timely determination of serious criminal cases.
