The recent attack on northern travelers in Uromi, Edo State, has sparked national outrage and placed Governor Monday Okpebholo’s administration under intense scrutiny over its handling of security challenges in the state.
In response to the incident, the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) released a strongly worded statement condemning the government’s failure to act decisively when the initial warning signs emerged.
“The administration’s characterization of the perpetrators as an illegal vigilante group further exposes the lack of a structured security framework. This government has consistently deflected responsibility instead of implementing real solutions,” stated PDP Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare.
He continued: “The abrupt suspension of the Commander of the Edo State Security Corps, CP Friday Ibadin (Rtd), following directives from Abuja, is a tacit admission by the government that the state’s security architecture is ineffective.
“The February 5 protest by members of the Edo Security Corps was a clear indication of deep-rooted issues, yet Senator Monday Okpebholo ignored the warnings. Now, both Edo residents and Nigerians at large are paying the price for his administration’s failures.
“It is particularly alarming that an unregulated vigilante group was allowed to take up arms and carry out extra-judicial killings. This underscores the Okpebholo administration’s inability to properly regulate, train, and oversee security operations in the state.”
Although Governor Okpebholo has since suspended Ibadin and ordered a security review, concerns about potential retaliatory attacks continue to escalate, especially as more details emerge about the victims.
A local source familiar with the security structure in Uromi remarked: “Ibadin was a Labour Party politician in Uromi who played a role in the governor’s election. As a reward, he was given the top security position.
“How can security appointments be treated as political compensation? Why was Balogun not appointed when concerns were initially raised?” the source questioned.
The tragedy is now being linked to earlier signs of a deteriorating security structure, warnings that critics claim the state government ignored.
On February 5, just a month before the attack, members of the Edo State Security Network (ESSN) staged a public protest in Benin City, openly expressing their lack of confidence in their commander, retired Commissioner of Police Friday Ibadin. They cited increasing insecurity, a rise in kidnappings and violent crimes, and the infiltration of the network by unauthorized vigilante groups as critical concerns.
The protest followed Governor Okpebholo’s initial decision to remove Ibadin and replace him with Assistant Commander Balogun. However, within 24 hours, the governor reversed the decision, reinstating Ibadin and inadvertently triggering unrest within the ESSN.
During the protest, ESSN operative Imade Eweka accused Ibadin of politicizing the security apparatus and engaging in corrupt practices.
“Commander Ibadin has turned security into a political game. He has been appointing his loyalists to extort money from innocent civilians, undermining the very mission we stand for,” she stated.
She further lamented: “Meanwhile, we are left unarmed, unpaid, and our colleagues are losing their lives during rescue operations.”
Other operatives echoed similar sentiments, accusing Ibadin of weakening the ESSN by disarming trained officers and replacing them with unregulated vigilante groups, particularly in Edo Central, where both he and the governor hail from.
With rising tensions and calls for accountability growing louder, the Okpebholo administration faces mounting pressure to implement meaningful reforms in the state’s security sector and restore public confidence. Whether the latest actions taken by the government will be enough to prevent further unrest remains uncertain.
