JUST IN: Okpebholo pledges five-minute response to security threats in Edo

News, Politics

BENIN CITY, Nigeria (NPA) — Edo State Governor, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, has assured residents that his administration is putting measures in place to enable security agencies to respond to threats anywhere in the state within five minutes.

Okpebholo gave the assurance on Sunday during a service at Living Faith Church, also known as Winners Chapel, along Sapele Road, Benin City.

According to a statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Dr Patrick Akhere Ebojele, the governor said his administration would continue to prioritise the safety of residents and improve the state’s security situation within the next month.

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“We will continue to work for Edo people. In terms of security, Edo will be safer in the next one month. We will be able to respond to security threats in any part of the state,” Okpebholo said.

He said dedicated emergency telephone numbers would soon be made available to the public, urging residents and people in distress to use the numbers to seek immediate security assistance.

The governor said his administration’s goal was to make Edo safer than it found it by tackling kidnapping, robbery and other criminal activities.

He also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to creating an environment where residents could live and conduct their businesses safely.

Okpebholo thanked the church for its prayers and support for his administration, saying he was pleased to be a member of Winners Chapel.

The pastor of the church, Emmanuel Ebiye, commended the governor for what he described as his developmental agenda and efforts to improve the state.

Ebiye also thanked Okpebholo for donating food items, including rice and cooking oil, to churches for distribution to members.

“We appreciate your transformation, development and growth experience across all sectors in the state. I pray for grace to be with you. Thank you for all you are doing for Edo people,” Ebiye said.

Okpebholo and his entourage later visited Rock of Ages Christian Assembly International, also along Sapele Road, where its General Overseer, Pastor Charles Osazuwa, said the 2027 general election would be peaceful and Nigeria would remain united.

Osazuwa urged Nigerians to disregard what he described as prophecies of doom about the country, saying elections would come and go without disrupting the nation’s continuity.

He also encouraged Christians to acquire skills and engage in productive activities that would enable them contribute economically to society, while urging leaders to invest more in human capital development.

The pastor cited scholarships he received during the administrations of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Ambrose Alli as examples of how investment in education could empower individuals.

On infrastructure, Okpebholo said the procurement process for the construction of roads, including what he described as “mechanics and peanut roads,” was almost complete.

He said construction would commence soon, with contractors expected to work through the rainy season to accelerate project completion.

The governor also said the state was making progress in tackling insecurity and urged residents to continue praying for President Bola Tinubu.

He linked the Federal Government’s removal of fuel subsidy to improved road infrastructure across the country.