The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) “thugs” are allegedly responsible for the insecurity in Edo state, according to the government led by Governor Monday Okpebholo.
According to reports, the government said that the accused PDP thugs were in possession of 5,000 illegal guns.
The Edo government said in a statement released on Sunday by the governor’s chief press secretary, Fred Itua, that the state’s vigilante group had hired some of the suspected armed thugs from the previous administration.
The growing wave of insecurity being fueled by armed thugs and criminal groups connected to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a serious issue for the Edo State Government.
The safety of our citizenry is clearly in risk since these people, who were highly armed prior to the 2024 Edo Governorship Election, have refused to give up their firearms.
It is documented that prior to the most recent election, former Governor Godwin Obaseki publicly claimed that “Nigeria would burn.” This was a calculated statement supported by the systematic arming of touts and thugs, not just a political outburst.
Over 5,000 illicit firearms are still in the hands of these criminals, many of whom were conscripted into the Edo State Security Network during the previous administration. They use these weapons to commit violent attacks, kidnappings, and robberies throughout the state, the statement stated.
The PDP leaders were accused by the Okpebholo government of providing cover for the armed thugs. He also said that if the party’s former candidate for governor, Asue Ighodalo, doesn’t win in the tribunal, they want to utilize the armed thugs to wreak havoc.
For the sake of state security, the government urged security services to retrieve the weapons from the accused PDP thugs.
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The PDP leaders, who had direct authority over these armed operatives, have refused to help disarm them, as the Edo State Government is aware. Rather, they keep protecting these criminals, giving them shelter as they terrorize defenseless civilians.
Even worse, according to intelligence assessments, PDP officials are accumulating more weapons in preparation for a possible massacre in the event that their candidate, Asue Ighodalo, loses the Tribunal.
“All security agencies are being urged by the State Government to step up their investigations, find these armed criminals and their backers, and prosecute them.
“No one is above the law, regardless of their political membership, and Edo State, led by Governor Monday Okpebholo, will not put up with any effort to undermine our people’s safety and tranquility.
“We implore law enforcement to act quickly to recover all firearms that have been unlawfully possessed and to hold those accountable for the current level of insecurity in Edo.”
It stated that Governor Okpebholo will not permit politically motivated violence to spread throughout our State and that the safety and welfare of the Edo people continue to be his top priorities.
