The Executive Director, Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, the Rev. David Ugolor, has offered in-depth insights into Governor Monday Okpebholo’s evolving security plan for Edo State.
Speaking from Banjul, The Gambia, where he was attending a regional human rights workshop, in a widely televised appearance on the TVC Breakfast show, Rev. Ugolor welcomed the Governor’s multi-stakeholder security consultation involving traditional rulers, political leaders, and security agencies, describing it as a bold expression of political will. He underscored that lasting security requires strong synergy with local communities, improved data gathering, and the revival of community security networks that flourished under previous administrations, which significantly curtailed kidnapping and violence across the state.
While acknowledging the recently signed Edo State Kidnapping Prohibition Amendment Law 2025, which includes the death penalty for convicted offenders, Ugolor urged caution. He argued that while the law may signal zero tolerance for insecurity, capital punishment is not a fissionable deterrence from the standpoint of right to life and the sanctity of human life. Instead, he called for increased investment in intelligence-led policing, leveraging Edo State’s security vote transparently to support traditional and community-based security architectures. He warned that rising crime threatens Edo’s attractiveness to investors and proposed innovative alternatives like whistleblower incentives and independent response units to restore public trust and safety.
