Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki has said the rate of secret cult related killings and homicide incidents in the state has dropped since he created a special taskforce to fight the menaces.

Governor Obaseki stated this after the state security council meeting where the New Commissioner of Police deployed to the state was in attendance at Government house in Benin City.

In a facebook post, Governor Obaseki said: “Since the establishment of the special task force against cultism in the state, we have recorded a drastic reduction in incidents of cultism and homicide—by as much as 60 percent between May and July. From August to date, a similar trend is being observed.

Many arrests have been made, and we assure that prosecutions will commence shortly. Relevant authorities have assured us that, based on the evidence gathered so far, we should be able to secure convictions.

I provided this update after our Security Council meeting, where we reviewed the security situation. We also welcomed our new Commissioner of Police, Nemi Edwin-Iwo, who resumed duty last week and attended the meeting for the first time.”

In a news release, the Government House Press Unit said the special task force headed by the Director of the Department of State Service (DSS) was set up in May 2024 to review and address every cult-related incident in the State.

The Press unit said: “Obaseki, on Wednesday, said the incidence dropped from 129 in May when the team was set up to 79 in June and 50 in July.

The governor spoke while briefing journalists after the monthly Security Council meeting held at the Exco Chamber, in Government House, Benin City, the Edo State capital.

Obaseki, who also welcomed the new Commissioner of Police in the State, CP Nemi Edwin-Iwo, who is attending the Security Council meeting for the first time, said the government will sustain the collaboration with the police and other security agencies to ensure peace and security in the State.

The governor said, “We just finished the Security Council meeting where we reviewed the security situation in Edo State. We welcomed our new Commissioner of Police, Nemi Edwin-Iwo, who resumed duty last week and is attending the Security Council meeting for the first time.

“We used the opportunity to also review our monthly incidence report and observed that the incidence of cultism and homicide have reduced drastically since we set up the committee on cultism. In fact, we saw the total incidence drop from the 79 reported last month (June) to 50 in the month of July.

“You will recall that the committee was set up in May when the total incidence had risen to an all-time high of 129 cases of crime for the month of May, mainly driven by cultism, homicide, and drugs. Since that committee swung into action, we have seen remarkable success. The incidence dropped from 129 in May to 79 in June and to a further 50 incidents in July. August till date, we have also seen a similar trend.”

Obaseki added, “Many arrests have been made and we are assuring that we will commence prosecution. We were assured by the relevant authorities that from evidence gathered so far, we should be able to secure prosecutions.”

On his part, the Police Commissioner called for the collaboration of all stakeholders to sustain peace and security in the State.

He noted, “We have to key into the success being recorded in the State by making sure that we collectively ensure that there is peace in the State. I call on the good people of Edo state and my sister security agencies, including the military to give the necessary support to ensure that there is peace in the State. We have discussed at length on how to sustain peace and security in the State and this will be carried out successfully without any problems.”

Addressing secret cult related killings in Edo State, earlier in the year, we reported that the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki has said that the Bini traditional youths leaders known as Okaigheles and secret cult members in Edo state were building up arms in the Edo South Senatorial district.

The governor disclosed this when he received the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Obinna Onubogu, who was on a courtesy visit at the Government House, Benin City, according to Channels Television.

Governor Obaseki had early in the month of June, 2024 banned the activities of the traditional youths leaders, Okaigheles and set up taskforce to tackle the menace of the youths leaders and secret cult members. The ban on the activities of the Okaigheles  stirred controversies among some natives of the state with some insisting that the governor has no power to ban the age long tradition of Okaigheles.

In earlier statement issued on June 3, 2024, Governor Obaseki said: “We have decided to go full blast against cultists and cultism in the State and have now passed an anti-cultism law that will be implemented to its fullest.

Additionally, we have banned the activities of Okaigheles (Youth Leaders) in the Edo South Senatorial District of the State.

These were some of the decisions reached after the Security Council Meeting with Service Chiefs in the State, where we reviewed the security situation in Edo State since January 2024, with particular emphasis on the security activities in May.

Council has set up a special task force, headed by the Director of DSS, that will, review every cult-related occurrence in the state. We have declared full war on cultists and Okaigheles in Edo State.

After the meeting, we launched patrol Sienna buses and motorcycles to strengthen the State’s joint security operations”.

Channels Television reported that “the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has vowed that the state government will collaborate with security agencies to flush out criminal gangs in the State.

According to Obaseki, the state government will not accept a similar incident that happened in the Okomu area where Okaigheles and militant groups shot at soldiers.

“The military has been of great support to our security efforts in Edo State. The Brigade Commander is a member of our State Security Council and they have provided tremendous backup and support to the other security agencies in the State,” Governor Obaseki said.

“Last week, we had an unfortunate incident in the Okomu area where militants and some community youths shot at some soldiers and fortunately there was no casualty. We are going after all those that were involved in the incident.

“We will not accept the level of arms build-up by cultists and Okaigheles in Edo State and Edo State Government wants to reiterate that with the backing of the Military, we will go after criminal gangs who are constituting a nuisance in Edo State and building up arms in our State to terrorize citizens.”

He added, “I thank the GOC for the visit, assurance, and support to our security efforts in Edo State, and assuring you that our government will always work closely with the military and other security agencies, and provide the needed support to all State and Federal security agencies to enable us to perform our duties as a government to protect lives and property of Edo citizens.”

On his part, the General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Obinna Onubogu, thanked the governor, noting, “I thank the governor for the frank discussion we had concerning security in Edo State. I am here to thank the governor for the support he has given to us in the discharge of our duties in safeguarding the federation, particularly the people in Edo State.”

He further noted, “We have had recent clashes where a few misguided youths have attacked our men. This is quite unacceptable. I have conveyed that to His Excellency. Going forward, we are hoping such incidents will not occur again and if it does occur, we will take decisive actions to stop all criminals who attempt to thwart the activities of the Army and other security agencies within Edo State.

“We will continue to work with the people and the State Government to ensure things remain calm in the State. I also visited the Oba of Benin where I also conveyed this message and he re-assured me that the people will work with us towards safety and security in the State.

“We are glad that all sectors in the State, be it government and traditional, are working towards the same purpose. We hope to see peace and safety continue in the State”, Channels Television report ends in quote.

Reacting to the ban of Okaigheles, Barrister Jefferson Uwoghiren had said that: “Our traditional Okaighele can not be banned because we are all Igheles!

The government’s reported ban is directed at all the political Okaigheles who simply transmuted from CDA youth leaders to Okaigheles when the law setting up Private Property Protection banned their activities.

The Okaigheles of Edo South, especially from communities surrounding Benin City, with their private armies of well armed cretins, are unarguably the major causes of land insecurity, brigandry , assassinations, arsons, communual strifes, underdevelopments, lawlessness and unending litigations in Edo South of Edo State.

Working in close concerts with soulless lawyers, surveyors, security agents, judicial officers, and in facts, politicians, they are the cankerworms eating Benin Nation raw and in plain sights”, Jefferson Uwoghiren words reads and quoted verbatim.