Edo Govt speaks out after angry residents block roads over insecurity

The Edo State Government has appealed to residents to remain calm and law-abiding following a protest over insecurity in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of the state.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Kassim Afegbua, said while the government recognises the constitutional right of citizens to express grievances, issues of security require calm, coordination and constructive engagement rather than actions that could worsen the situation.

Afegbua was reacting to a protest by angry residents of Ekpoma who blocked major entry and exit points of the town over the killing of a youth allegedly by suspected kidnappers. The demonstration, which went viral on social media, saw protesters parading the corpse of the deceased and burning tyres on the road, forcing motorists to turn back and disrupting commercial activities.

According to Afegbua, blocking roads and disrupting movement in the name of protest does not aid security operations and may expose residents to further risks or be exploited by criminal elements.

“While the government recognises the constitutional right of citizens to express concerns, matters of security require calm, coordination and constructive engagement. Unstructured actions such as blocking roads can undermine public order and complicate security operations,” he said.

He noted that the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo remains responsive to genuine security concerns and is committed to addressing safety challenges through intelligence sharing, community collaboration and sustained engagement with security agencies.

Afegbua added that the state’s security strategy includes strengthening the Edo Security Corps, neighbourhood watch initiatives and continuous engagement with community leaders, traditional institutions and neighbouring states.

“This administration believes effective security solutions are achieved through intelligence-led operations and cooperation with security agencies, not actions that distract them from ongoing operations,” he added.

A resident of Ekpoma, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the protest was triggered by the discovery of the corpse of a youth in a bush on Friday night. The resident said kidnapping has become rampant in the area, forcing farmers to abandon their farms and residents to live in fear.

“The killing of the youth is what led to the protest. Kidnapping has become a serious problem here,” the resident said.

Reacting to the development, the Principal Security Officer to the governor, Austin Eigbiremolen, assured residents that adequate security would be deployed to Ekpoma and that suspected kidnappers would be flushed out of the area.

Similarly, the Edo State Police Command said it was not indifferent to the security challenges in Ekpoma. The police spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, was already in Ekpoma to assess the situation.

She revealed that nine persons kidnapped on Friday were rescued unhurt after the deployment of the Eagle Combat Drone Unit to the forest alongside local hunters. According to her, the kidnappers fled after their camp was located through real-time aerial intelligence, abandoning two locally fabricated AK-49 rifles.

“This deployment underscores the role of technology in modern policing and reinforces the commitment of the Edo State Police Command to protecting lives and property,” Ikoedem said.

The Edo State Government urged residents to remain calm, support security agencies with useful information and continue their lawful activities while security operations are intensified across the affected areas.