Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has issued a stern warning to religious leaders, urging them not to seek his intervention on behalf of individuals arrested for criminal activities, insisting that his administration will not tolerate interference in the fight against crime.
Speaking at the 2026 Ministers’ Conference organised by the Edo State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Benin City, the governor said criminal suspects must face the full weight of the law.
“Pastors, if you hear that I have arrested somebody, don’t come to beg me,” Okpebholo declared.
The governor also accused political opponents of deliberately exaggerating insecurity in Edo State in a bid to tarnish the image of his administration and undermine public confidence in the government.
While acknowledging that security challenges exist, he maintained that the situation was not as dire as being portrayed on social media and other platforms.
According to him, some criminal networks operating in the state are recruiting hoodlums from outside Edo, while local collaborators identify and hand over kidnap victims to gangs hiding in forests for ransom operations.
“Do you know one funny thing — our people are now going outside Edo to recruit criminals to help them do the job. They will kidnap somebody and hand the victim over to them in the bush,” he said.
Okpebholo cited a recent report of an alleged security incident on the Benin-Sapele Road corridor, which he said turned out to be false after security operatives were immediately deployed to investigate.
“All of this is just to bring this government down, to give it a bad name. It is not that we are free, but not in the way they are hyping it,” the governor stated.
He assured residents that security agencies were working tirelessly to prevent criminals from gaining a foothold in the state and reiterated his administration’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property.
The governor also called for special prayers for President Bola Tinubu, saying the removal of fuel subsidy, though painful, had paved the way for developmental projects currently visible across Edo State.
In her remarks, Pastor Margaret Agbonifo, Chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) in Edo State and General Overseer of Family Intercessory Ministries, commended Okpebholo for combining faith with public service and prayed for a successful tenure.
Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of CAN in Edo State, Rev. Alfred Agbonlahor, praised the governor for the ongoing rehabilitation of the Benin-Sapele Road, describing it as a major intervention for residents and road users.
