9th November, 2024
By Jethro Ibileke
The outgoing Governor of Edo, Godwin Obaseki, has urged his incoming successor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, not to prioritise politics over security, warning that doing so could lead to problems with the people of the state.
He stressed that citizens would demand a secure environment and that their concerns must be addressed.
Obaseki made the remarks at his final security council meeting with heads of security agencies in the state, stating that his government is leaving the security situation in Edo much better than it was when he took office in 2016.
“I am leaving Edo much better, security-wise, than when I met it. My advice to the incoming administration is to take security seriously and never prioritise politics over security because there will be problems as citizens need to demand a secure environment.
“We have shown that it’s possible because we have men and women who have the capacity and training to offer security services to the State and the people of the State.
“We will continue to ensure you protect our country as nobody will fix Nigeria for us; we have to fix it ourselves. We should realise that we have no other country to call our own, and no matter the frustration, we should ensure we fix the country,” he said.
Acknowledging the collaboration and support from security agencies, the Governor emphasised that together, they had changed the narrative and perception of security in the state.
He also attributed the state’s growth, the improvement in its domestic environment, and the increased interest from investors to the secured atmosphere.
In his closing remarks, Obaseki noted that his administration had prioritised security and invested significantly in the state’s security infrastructure over the past eight years, making Edo one of Nigeria’s safest states to live and do business in.
“I thank all security agencies in the State for the collaboration as their efforts have made the state secure and safe for all.”
“The spirit of collaboration has helped us solve many problems in the area of security. I commend the Department of State Security (DSS) as they were open and ready to give us information always. By adopting technology, we were able to cover the State and make it safe for our people.”
“Using technology, we have been able to document every incident in the State, review them, and work together to provide responses to the security situation.
“The Civil Defence Corps has been a great collaborator in improving security in the State and, by extension, the protection of federal assets in Edo State. As a State, we have the capacity to tackle security challenges head-on, and our collaboration has yielded positive results.
“The traffic agencies have done an amazing job in the last eight years as there have been improvements in the flow of traffic across the State,” he added.
