Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has urged residents of the state to embrace peace and support the government's efforts to protect lives and property. He made this call at a programme organised by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to commemorate the International Day of Peace. Okpebholo, who was represented by the Commissioner for Security and Public Safety, Festus Ebea, assured citizens that security agencies are working with the state government to address insecurity.
The governor noted that his administration has made significant progress in checking the problem of cultism in the state. He added that bush combing by the police, in conjunction with other security agencies, has become a weekly exercise to check kidnapping across the state. Okpebholo also established a special court to try suspected cultists and kidnappers. He called on residents to support the government's efforts to rid the society of criminal elements.
Okpebholo also commended President Bola Tinubu for his efforts at the national level to tackle insecurity. He urged Nigerians to support the government's efforts to end criminality. The governor emphasized that citizens should not become part of the problem but join others in finding solutions to insecurity. He stressed that the government cannot tackle the problem alone and needs the support of residents.
The State Commandant of the NSCDC, Akintayo Ayinla, said the theme for this year's commemoration, "Invest in Peace, Everyone, Everywhere, Everyday," was both timely and instructive. He noted that peace was not merely the absence of war, violence or conflict, but a continuous process that required deliberate investment in justice, dialogue, tolerance, human dignity, social inclusion and the protection of communities.
Ayinla emphasized that sustainable peace cannot be achieved by security agencies alone. He stressed that it requires the collective responsibility of government, traditional institutions, religious bodies, civil society, the private sector, the media, families and individual citizens. The NSCDC commandant called on everyone to invest in peace in their homes, workplaces, schools, communities and places of worship.
The Edo State Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Mitchell Ofoyeju, called on stakeholders across the state to treat peace as an investment rather than an accident. He warned that lasting peace could not thrive in an environment where illicit drugs flourished. Ofoyeju stressed that the fight against narcotics was inseparable from the pursuit of a peaceful society.
Other speakers at the event, including Agatha Osieke, Executive Director of the WOCAP Foundation for Women, Youths and Children Advocacy Initiative, and Senator Roland Owie, emphasized the importance of investing in peace and promoting justice and equity. They urged Nigerians to work together to achieve peace and development in the country. The event was attended by various stakeholders, including traditional and religious leaders.
Key points
- - The Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has called on residents to support the government in ending kidnapping and other crimes in the state. - Okpebholo assured citizens that security agencies are working with the state government to protect lives and property. - The governor emphasized that citizens should not become part of the problem but join others in finding solutions to insecurity.
