Uromi Killings: Okpebholo Ignored Security Warnings, Now Innocent Lives Are Lost — PDP
The killing of innocent northern travelers in Uromi, Edo State, has sparked widespread outrage and renewed scrutiny of the Okpebholo administration’s handling of security across the state.
The tragedy, which many argue was preventable, has been linked to prior warnings about the deterioration of the state’s security framework—warnings the government allegedly ignored.
Source: Twitter
Security Failures and Ignored Warnings
On February 5, just a month before the attack, operatives of the Edo State Security Network (ESSN) staged a public protest in Benin City, passing a vote of no confidence in their commander, retired Commissioner of Police Friday Ibadin.
They cited rising insecurity, increasing kidnappings and killings, and the alleged infiltration of the security network by unregulated vigilante groups.
The protest followed a brief shake-up in the security leadership, as Governor Monday Okpebholo reportedly removed Ibadin and replaced him with Assistant Commander Balogun. However, the decision was reversed within 24 hours, reinstating Ibadin and triggering unrest within the ESSN.
Speaking at the protest, ESSN operative Imade Eweka accused Ibadin of politicizing the network.
“Commander Ibadin is playing politics. He has been deploying his loyalists to extort money from innocent citizens, undermining the integrity of our mission,” she said. “Meanwhile, we are unarmed, unpaid, and our members are dying during rescue operations.”
Eweka and other operatives further accused Ibadin of disarming trained officers and replacing them with members of illegal vigilante groups with known affiliations to the government. They pointed to worsening security conditions in Edo Central, the home region of both the governor and Ibadin, as evidence of the administration’s failures.
Tragic Killings and Government Response
Despite these public warnings, the administration failed to act. On March 29, vigilantes operating in Uromi, whom the government itself later labeled as “illegal,” were implicated in the killing of travelers reportedly journeying from Port Harcourt to the North for the Sallah holiday. The victims were allegedly misidentified as kidnappers and executed in cold blood.
Following the incident, the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) issued a strongly worded statement condemning the governor’s failure to address the crisis when early warning signs emerged.
“The recent government classification of the perpetrators as an illegal vigilante group only further exposes the absence of a coherent security framework under the current administration and a continuation of the blame game this government has come to master,” said PDP Publicity Secretary Chris Nehikhare.
“The February 5 mutiny by members of the Edo Security Corps was an early warning sign of deep-rooted inefficiencies, yet Senator Monday Okpebholo chose to ignore it. Now, Edo people and Nigerians are paying the price of Okpebholo’s incompetence with their lives.”
Nehikhare also criticized the government’s handling of vigilante groups, stating:
“It is particularly distressing that a vigilante group, operating without any oversight or proper registration, was allowed to take up arms and engage in extra-judicial killings. This is an indictment of the Okpebholo administration’s failure to properly regulate, train, and coordinate security efforts in the state.”
Tensions and Calls for Justice
Though the governor has now suspended Ibadin and ordered a security review, tensions remain high. Fear of reprisal attacks is growing as the identities of the victims come to light. Anger is also mounting within the ESSN over the administration’s initial refusal to act.
“Ibadin was a Labour Party politician in Uromi who supported the governor’s election. They rewarded him with the top security job,” an ESSN member said. “How can you turn security into political compensation? Why didn’t they appoint Balogun when we warned them?”
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Source: Legit.ng
