OsazuwaAkonedo Audio ~ Cult War In Edo – $1 Billion Lost Annually – Gov Okpebholo
Cult War In Edo – $1 Billion Lost Annually – Gov Okpebholo
https://osazuwaakonedo.news/cult-war-in-edo-1-billion-lost-annually-gov-okpebholo/22/05/2025/
#Issues #edo #Okpebholo ©May 22nd, 2025 ®May 22, 2025 9:22 pm Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo has called for more stakeholders supports and actions towards ending secret cult related killings and other organised violent crimes in the state, stating that the aged long secret cult war in the South South state of Nigeria has driven away a lot of investors and as such, Edo State has been at a loss of one billion dollar every year, with statistics, according to the Governor showing that the natives of Edo State top the list of the highest diaspora remittances in Nigeria, but, over 95 percent of the natives divert the funds to other states to avoid secret cult violence in the state also known as the Heartbeat of the nation. #OsazuwaAkonedo
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Speaker 1: Edo State Governor monday Op Pepolo has called for more
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stakeholders supports and actions towards ending secret cult related killings
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and other organized violent crimes in the state, stating that
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the aged long secret cult war in the South South
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state of Nigeria has driven away a lot of investors
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and as such, Edo State has been at a loss
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of one billion dollar every year, with statistics according to
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the governor showing that the natives of Edo State tought
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the list of the highest diaspora remittances in Nigeria, but
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over ninety five percent of the natives divert the funds
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to other states to avoid secret cult violence in the state,
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also known as the heartbeat of the nation. Governor monday
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O Pepolo made through the Office of the Chief Press
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Secretary to Governor Fredicua in a statement issued on Wednesday.
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According to the statement, the Edo State Governor, Senator monday
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O Pepolo has expressed deep concerns over the adverse impacts
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of long years of cultism on the state its economy,
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particularly the loss of lives under the loss of over
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one billion dollars worth of potential investments annually. These acts
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of violence predominantly driven by clashes among rival cult groups,
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have not only lent a tragic loss of lives and property,
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but have also discouraged investments and tourism, ultimately slowing economic growth.
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The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, fred Iua, stated
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that the high state of cult related violence in the
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last five years, long before Governor o Pepolo assumed office,
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has caused substantial destructions to economic activities as investors and
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business owners increasingly grew wary of the security situation. What
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we have witnessed in Edo was more than a threat
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to public peace, it was a significant drain on our
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economic potential. According to statistics by the Diaspora Commission, Heado
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State tops the list of states with the highest remittance
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from the diaspora. However, ninety five percent of the rep
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patriated funds ended up in different states because of cultism
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and other violent crimes, as our people in the diaspora
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were scared of coming home to invest. This loss indisposable income,
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closure of businesses, and decline in tourism severely impacted the
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state’s business climate, Itchua said. He noted that the state’s
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critical infrastructure and commercial centres were also affected, with some
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businesses forced to shut down temporarily or permanently owing to
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security concerns. The fear of violence also deterred potential visitors,
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resulting in a downturn in hospitality, transportation and other tourism
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related sectors. Itchua said the narrative has however, changed since
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Governor ok Pepolo declared a total war on cult related
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violence in Edo State. He said the efforts of Governor
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og Pepolo are already yielding results, with more stakeholders joining
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the support groups against cult related violence in Edo State.
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Itchua noted that the state is regaining its lost glory
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and that sanity is being restored. He urged Edo sons
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and daughters, both in Nigeria and in the diaspora to
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bring their investments home and help in the economic development
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of the state. Governor Monday og Pepolo is restoring peace
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to Edo State, especially in Benin City where cultulated violence
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had held sway for too long. Our hard working sons
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and daughters both in Nigeria and in the diaspora can
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now bring their investments to their homeland Edo State. Hospitality
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is a big business in Edo State. We have real estate.
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Governor of Pepolo is also sanitizing land administration. This means
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Edo people can now invest massively in real estate. Agriculture
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is a viable sector in Edo State and it can
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bring huge returns on investments and create jobs for our people.
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Governor of Pepolo is urging our people to look towards
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that direction. We have the skills and the needed support
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will be given by the administration of Governor op Pepholo
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for Edo people to set up industries, hotels, commercial farms,
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real estate and other key investments. These investments will be
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protected and guaranteed by the state government. Itsua noted, as
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for the remnants of miscreants still holding sway in some
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isolated areas, Governor op Pepolo is engaging community leaders, youth groups,
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civil society organizations and security stakeholders to foster peace building
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and tackle the root causes of cultism. This is not
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a fight for government alone, it is a collective responsibility.
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We are calling on all well meaning Edo citizens to
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work with Governor o Pepolo in reclaiming our communities from
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the grip of violence. Itchua added. He reassured the public
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that Governor o Pepholo remains committed to building a safe
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and secure environment where businesses can flourish and citizens can
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live without fear. Edo State has immensia economic potentials. Governor
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of Pepholo will not allow violence and cultism to define
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our future. With the right partnerships and firm action, Governor
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of Pepolo is restoring peace, attracting investments and repositioning our
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economy for sustainable growth. We had reported that the Edo
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State government, led by Governor monday O Pepolo, has issued
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an executive order blacklisting a government registered acclaims sociocultural organization,
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the Neo Black Movement NBMS, a violent organization among those
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responsible for violent crimes of high rates of secret culture
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related homicide killings in the state and in a swift reaction,
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the president of the Neo Black Movement of Africa NBN
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Olaroguna Sekha Corps, while speaking with a panel of presenters
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at Arise News Television during the TV program, accused the
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Governor monday O Pepolo of allegedly using members of the
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Black As Confraternity during his election, adding that the governor
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never consulted with them to know if members of Black
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Axe Confraternity are also members of the Neo Black movement,
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saying the governor is now attacking NBM because of black acts,
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stressing that Black Axe Confraternity is a criminal organization, insisting
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that members of the confraternity are never members of the NBM,
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And shortly after the NBM president’s statement, large group of
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youths in Edo State led a solidarity protest matched to
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the Edo State Government House in Benin City to express
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their support and willingness to defend the government policies and
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actions to stop the massive destructions of lives and creation
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of young widows and high rates of fatherless children in
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the state due to secret cult activities. This assessments of
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some of the pro government policy protesters indicated that some
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of them are people who may have identified themselves in
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the past as members of the Neo Black movement, and
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they also appeared to be people very loyal to one
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of the prominent life leaders of the NBM, antoniaden Aka
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Tony Kobaka, who trend when he was interviewed about the
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activities of the NBM in a BBC documentary published by
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the British Broadcasting Service some years back. We had report
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that in apparent anger Edo State government under the leadership
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of Governor Monday at Pepolo has issued a serious warning
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with a strong message sent to the President of the
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Neo Black Movement of Africa NBM Olaroguna Seka called that
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the Edo State government has started consultations to enable it
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take more appropriate legal action against the Neo Black Movement,
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saying the international headquarters or secretariat of the movement situated
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at a Magna area in Benin City that was demolished
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last month by the state government, has been an enclave
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used for planning and execution of secret cult related killings
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by members of the Neo Black movement. The governor also
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referred to and described as Black Act’s secret cult, probably
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expressing more anger that the leadership and members of the
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Neo Black Movement had the courage to come out publicly
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to identify themselves with the demolished building. The governor said
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they will be made to face prosecution this The National
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President of the Neo Black Movement Ologunasei Kha Corps, while
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speaking in reaction to the demolished building, hon a Rise
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News TV program, said the movement is not Black Acts,
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emphasizing that Black Acts is a criminal organization, while the
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Neo Black movement is a social cultural organization that promote
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and engage in humanitarian services. It would be recalled that
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we had reported that the Edo State Police Command of
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Nigeria Police Force has confirmed the arrest of ninety five
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persons in connection with the killing of more than fifteen
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people between April twenty fifth, twenty twenty five and now
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in the renewed deadly and bloody apparent supremacy secret cult
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war in the state among members of the Black Axe
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Confraternity AKAAA, Mafi con Fraternity aka Great Men and i
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A Confraternity aka Elods, which started with the killing of
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a physiotherapist simply identified as Alex and another individual at
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the University of Benin Teaching Hospital ubth back Gate were
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boo in Benin with the Edo State government led by
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Governor Monday Opepolo, launching a retaliatory war against businesses and
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individuals allegedly aiding secret cult killings in the state. Thus
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sealed off Eterno Hotel planned to demolish the hotel owned
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by People’s Democratic Party PDP Chieftain Honorable Matthew Ida Kenwyn,
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who was the Director General of Assuan Oggier campaign Organization
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in the last governorship election in the state on the
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ground that a particular secret cult group members gathered at
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the Eturno Hotel to plan their recent killings in the state,
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and in addition, the Edo state governor also sealed off
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and marked a residential building for demolition. Also owned buy
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a PDP, Chieftain Francis and Ebudecias one On made bringing
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You Bring Me In a mortgagees Aware
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