Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has vowed to drive criminals out of the state, declaring that his administration will leave no hiding place for criminal elements.
According to the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Owaen Fred Itua, the governor made the statement in Benin City on Wednesday while commissioning over 300 motorbikes for deployment across the state’s three senatorial districts to support security operations.
Present at the commissioning were Edo State Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Agbonika; Commander of 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, Brig. Gen. Ebenezer Oduyebo; and the Governor’s Chief of Staff, Alhaji Gani Audu, among other dignitaries.
Governor Okpebholo said the motorbikes would help security agencies access difficult terrains, especially forest areas often used as hideouts by kidnappers and other criminal gangs.
“We promised our people during the campaign that we would fight insecurity and restore peace to every part of Edo State. Today, we are fulfilling that promise. These bikes will help security agencies reach areas where vehicles cannot go. Criminals must leave Edo State,” the governor said.
He added that the motorbikes, alongside other security technologies, would be properly serviced and maintained to ensure sustainability.
In his remarks, CP Agbonika described the initiative as a “new dawn” in the fight against crime, noting that the mobility would strengthen operations against forest-based criminal activities. He urged residents to support security agencies by sharing credible intelligence.
Beyond security, Governor Okpebholo also commissioned heavy-duty equipment, including bulldozers, low-bed trucks, and tractors, to boost the operational capacity of the Edo State Waste Management Board.
He criticized the previous administration for spending over N50 million monthly on rented equipment for waste management, stressing that his administration is focused on long-term investments that deliver value.
“These machines were purchased with Edo people’s money for Edo people’s use. We are investing in capacity, not enriching contractors,” he said.
Managing Director of the Waste Management Board, Lucky Enehita-Inegbeneh, hailed the intervention as a major leap forward in sanitation, noting that the new assets would improve efficiency in keeping the state clean.
Governor Okpebholo’s twin interventions underscore his administration’s determination to strengthen security and enhance environmental management as part of efforts to build a safer and cleaner Edo State.
