Edo To Set Up Spl Court, Sign, Execute Cultist, Kidnapper’s Deaths Speedily

June 19, 2026June 19, 2026 Osazuwa Akonedo No Comments

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo has said the state government will set up special court for criminal proceedings inline with the existing laws for suspected secret cult members and kidnappers to be conducted within 2 or 3 weeks maximum, and if anyone is found guilty and sentenced to death accordingly, he will sign the death warrant and bring the condemned criminal or criminals to popular Ring Road area in Benin City for public execution so that such action will serve as deterrent to others, the Governor who probably have a good working relationship with one of the former governors of the state that started the recent execution of condemned criminals, Adams Oshiomhole made this known on Thursday when he visited the Headquarters of the Edo State Command of the Nigeria Police Force wherein some suspected kidnappers allegedly behind the shooting and abduction of a woman at a popular Vegetable market along Airport road in Benin City last Sunday were paraded before the governor and the Press, according to the Governor; “I will set up a special court to try cultists and kidnappers within 2 or 3 weeks and if found guilty, I would have no regret to sign their warrants, they would be executed at the Ring Road for others to learn a lesson, don’t take my simplicity for granted”, for the record, the last time death warrant was signed and condemned criminals executed in Edo State, took place around 6:00am on December 23, 2016, few weeks after the then-Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki took over power and was then still in good working relationship with ex governor Adams Oshiomhole, three death row inmates were executed by hanging, namely: Ogbomoro Omoregie, Apostle Igene, and Mark Omosowhota and the execution took place at the Oko Prison of the Nigerian Correctional Service, the inmates had originally been sentenced to death by military tribunals under the Robbery and Firearms Decree during the era of military rule in Nigeria, Godwin Obaseki carried out the executions despite condemnation from Human rights groups, such as the Legal Defence and Assistance Project, LEDAP, who thus petitioned the governor for a stay of execution, saying, “These earmarked prisoners were sentenced by military tribunals under the Robbery and Firearms, Special Provisions, Decree 1971 as amended, in which there was no right of appeal, we have filed an appeal pending at the Court of Lagos seeking order that these prisoners have right of appeal under the 1999 Constitution, Death penalty is not universally prohibited but the second optional protocol to the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on Prohibition of the use of the death penalty ask state parties to amend their laws to abolish death as sentence for crime, not all states have ratified the protocol, to sign a treaty does not bind the state until it is ratified, Nigeria has not signed it”, it would be recalled that before the 2016 last execution of condemned criminals in the state, the immediate past and first execution in Edo State since Nigeria returned to Democratic rule in 1999 occurred on June 24, 2013, when former Governor Adams Oshiomhole signed the warrants to hang four inmates—Chima Ejiofor, Daniel Nsofor, Osarenmwinda Aiguokhan, and Richard Igagu—at the Benin City Custodial Centre along Sapele road, the execution was the first in Nigeria since the last incident in 2006 after the then Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau approved and carried out the execution of seven condemned criminals, Oshiomhole’s action faced a lot of backlash from human rights community; Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, ANEEJ reiterated that the death penalty is an inhumane form of punishment and continued to advocate that Nigeria’s laws should be amended to replace capital punishment with life imprisonment, even for high-level offences like corruption, while Amnesty International declared the executions “a truly dark day for human rights in Nigeria” and criticised Oshiomhole for ignoring the pending judicial appeal processes, this, other human rights organizations filed appeals and public campaigns, urging the Edo State government to halt the execution of the inmates because their legal options were not fully exhausted, but all to no avail as the condemened criminals were still executed, defending his action, the then-governor Oshiomhole said “I have no apologies because I did not sentence them to death, I am not the one who accused them; they were accused by those they harassed, they have been tried, they have taken advantage of the appellate courts all the way to the Supreme Court and they were found guilty, the law also says having been found guilty and sentenced to death, the governor could exercise prerogative of mercy, but I say that I have no mercy on those who kill, why should you compel me to have mercy on those who kill?, in this battle of values, we must not behave as if some other people’s values are superior to ours, if you feel that those who kill in your country should have right to life and we believe in our country that those who kill should be killed and those are reflected in our laws, until you reverse those laws, those laws will apply, if you tell me that the man (who) killed has a right to life, I refuse that, Amnesty should not be hypocritical about it, we have the records worldwide, Nations are governed by their national values and it is debatable whether those who excuse murderers in the eyes of God are better human beings than those who insist that if you kill, you too should be killed if found guilty of killing, I don’t believe that those who want to excuse murderers are on a higher moral ground, it is not about conviction but about whether I choose to exercise prerogative of mercy, God can have mercy on them, but I am unable having regard to the overall circumstances of the case, which are killing and dismembering the body of the victim and wanting to sell some of the parts, and some people ask me in the name of human rights to let him live, no, if those saying that were to be victims of such brutality, they would also think otherwise, it is very convenient for them to sit in the comfort of their offices and pontificate about human rights, as if the rights of the victims are not supposed to be taken into account.”

Parading the suspects, the Police said the woman kidnapped at the Vegetable Market was rescued but one of the suspects in a video confession said the woman was released after the family paid ₦8 million ransom, according to the suspect who identified himself as a 32-year-old Marvellous Issac fom Akwa-Ibom state, the ransom money was shared among themselves and some parts given to leaders of a particular community around Ekenwan road axis, saying, they gave some parts of the money to the community leaders because the community guns and bullets were parts of the weapons they used in carrying out the crime.

Police said another suspect was killed during an exchange of gunfire with the security operatives. According to the Police, items recovered from the suspects include a red Lexus RX 350 allegedly used for the operation, a pump-action shotgun, live cartridges, a motorcycle and over two million naira suspected to be proceeds from the crime, including ransom paid by the victim’s family. Adding, investigations are ongoing as efforts intensified to track down other members of the kidnapping syndicate. Governor Monday Okpebholo gave a cash reward estimated to be more than ₦10 million to the police officers that participated in the special operations.

Verbatim, Governor Okpebholo said: “Today at the Edo State Police Command Headquarters, I reaffirmed my administration’s unwavering commitment to securing our state and protecting law-abiding citizens. Following the kidnapping incident at the Vegetable Market in Benin City, I directed security agencies to go after the perpetrators. I am pleased that one suspect has been arrested, another was neutralized during the operation, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the remaining members of the gang.

Let me be clear: Edo State will not be a safe haven for kidnappers, cultists, and other criminals. We are taking decisive steps to strengthen our justice system and ensure that anyone found guilty of these heinous crimes faces the full weight of the law. I also commended and rewarded the police officers whose professionalism and bravery led to the arrest of the suspect. Their dedication reflects the results we can achieve when government and security agencies work together with purpose.

I urge all Edo people to remain vigilant and continue providing useful information to security agencies. Together, we will make Edo safer, stronger, and more prosperous for everyone”.

In an earlier event, Governor Okpebholo said criminals in the state are the ones recruiting people from outside the state to come and commit crime in the state. Calling on members of the Christian community never to beg police to set free any sso arrested for any kind of cime in the state.

“Yesterday, at the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Ministers’ Conference in Benin City, I reiterated a message that remains central to our administration’s agenda: the security of lives and property is non-negotiable.

My administration is deploying every available resource and working closely with security agencies to ensure that criminal elements have no place in Edo State. Anyone found engaging in kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, or any other criminal activity will face the full weight of the law.

However, security is not the responsibility of government alone. It is a collective duty. I urge all Edo people to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies. If you see something, say something. Timely information can help prevent crime and save lives. Together, we will continue to build a safer, stronger, and more prosperous Edo State for all”, Governor Okpebholo stated.