My heart sank in a way I had not felt in a long time.Governor Monday Okpebholo
SMO’s Diary 10
12/01/2026
A Security Guarantee
The call came early that Monday morning.
_“…They killed the younger one.”_
My heart sank in a way I had not felt in a long time.
Abu Tahir. A fresh medical doctor. A young man who had just finished from Ambrose Alli University, with his whole life ahead of him. A life of service waiting to begin, cut short by people I can only describe as the dregs of society.
I had followed the case closely from the day the two brothers were abducted, staying in constant touch with the security agencies, exploring every possible option to secure their safe rescue. I thought of the elder brother who was still with them. I thought of their parents. I thought of the years of sacrifice, the sleepless nights, the prayers, and the investment it takes to raise a medical doctor in this country. All of it wasted by depraved and soulless humans.
The pain sat heavily in my chest. Then, days later, it turned to anger when someone showed me a video of criminals attempting to abduct occupants of a vehicle, right in front of their own gate.
Not in the Edo State I lead.
I believe among the many responsibilities of public service leadership, the most important is security. If your people are being killed, you will soon have no one left to lead. If there is no security, people cannot work in peace, and when people cannot work, productivity drops, incomes fall, and hope begins to fade.
Without security, you cannot build anything meaningful. No road, no school, no hospital, projects cant progress if those meant to execute them are afraid to show up. Nothing damages a state more than the perception that it is unsafe. No matter what else a government is doing, a perception of insecurity overshadows everything. It is also one of the strongest measures citizens use in judging leadership. When security fails, it becomes difficult for people to appreciate anything else.
I say all this to let you know that I understand the weight of this responsibility. Long before becoming a governor, I have a history of contributing to security efforts in my community and district as a private businessman. This is not new to me.
When I came into office, ending the violence and killings tied to cultism was a divine instruction, and it was one of the very first issues I tackled.
Within my first two weeks, I asked my deputy to meet with the leaders of these groups. He read the riot act to them and agreements were reached. For a while, the killings stopped…, and then they started again. This time, I met with them myself. That meeting ended with two of the recognized heads of the rival cults being arrested on the spot.
But I knew force alone was not enough. The fight needed legal and institutional backing. So we worked with the House of Assembly to strengthen our anti-kidnapping and anti-cultism laws, widening their scope and stiffening punishment for perpetrators and those who enable them. Properties used for violent crimes were demolished in line with the law. A task force moved into inner cities to flush out these elements that lived among us.
We also invested heavily in the capacity of our security agencies. We provided new vehicles, communication equipment, motorbikes for bush and border patrols, funding, training, and technology. These investments have been yielding results. Recently, in one coordinated operation between the security agencies and local hunters, using their newly deployed Eagle Combat Drone Unit, nine abducted persons were rescued unhurt. Among them were five children. Security forces were able to locate the kidnappers’ camp deep within nearby forests through aerial intelligence. Personnel on ground, working with local hunters who know the terrain, stormed the location. The criminals fled. Two locally fabricated AK-49 rifles were recovered. The victims came home alive.
I am laying all these out for a reason. To let you understand how intentional, determined, and focused I am about security. I really do not have a choice. Without security, our plans for agriculture will fail. Our contractors handling infrastructure projects cannot work freely. Our people can not take advantage of the opportunities we are creating daily. That is something I will not allow.
Within my closest circle are brilliant retired and serving senior military officers and security professionals. I consult them constantly. I dare say I hold more security meetings than most governors. I engage heads of security agencies at both state and federal levels. Their numbers are on speed dial on my phone and they know my calls can come at any time, even as late as 2 a.m.
Together, we have designed strategies that will deal with these issues decisively and permanently. This includes deeper deployment of technology, increased logistics, improved manpower, and stronger local intelligence collaboration. Security matters are not for careless public discussion, so I am limited in what I can disclose. But I assure you that once these measures are fully activated, lasting peace will return to the affected areas.
To the protesters who took to the streets in Ekpoma on Saturday, I hear you and feel your pain deeply. Every life lost is a future denied, a family thrown into mourning, and a wound that does not heal easily.
No leader sleeps well when such things happen. At least, I do not.
But..., while your grievances are valid, una for no allow bad characters join una begin destroy innocent people properties. Una suppose know say I no go let that one slide, and I have charged the security agencies to identify and prosecute those who did that. I expect that they will do it properly and ensure only the true culprits are punished. Protests must be done with responsibility and consideration for the larger society
For now, we are already implementing immediate measures to stabilize the situation, even as we move steadily towards the full rollout of our long-term security strategy across the state.
Akpakomiza no dey run from problem. I dey face them, and I dey solve dem.
SMOsDiary
_SMO's Diary' is a behind-the-scenes account of the daily engagements, thoughts, and leadership moments of the Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo (SMO), as shared through the lens of the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity._
