The Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, says his administration has made significant progress in tackling insecurity and rebuilding public confidence through strategic interventions, strengthened community collaboration, and enhanced professional policing.
In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, on Thursday, Governor Okpebholo described the fight against cultism as one of the most decisive campaigns of his administration, stressing that “under my watch, the commercialization of killing will never be tolerated in Edo State.”
Speaking ahead of his first anniversary in office, the governor said the battle against cultism, kidnapping, and violent crimes was “total and irreversible,” adding that the motivation behind the crackdown was humanitarian, not political.
He disclosed that his administration has invested heavily in security logistics, including vehicles and operational support for law enforcement agencies across the state.
On education reforms, Okpebholo said schools have been renovated across the three senatorial districts, restoring teacher morale and parental trust. He noted that several decaying infrastructures inherited from previous administrations — including roads and public facilities — have been rehabilitated.
The governor also announced a major increase in Ambrose Alli University’s monthly subvention from ₦41 million to ₦500 million, describing the previous funding arrangement as “an anomaly.” He said, “It was shameful that a consultant earned ₦57 million monthly while the university received only ₦41 million. We have corrected that. Our universities must be properly funded.”
Reiterating his commitment to food security — a key pillar of his administration’s S.H.I.N.E. Agenda — Okpebholo said more farmlands would be opened in 2026 to boost agricultural production and economic growth.
He further disclosed that 50 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered buses have been ordered for deployment across the three senatorial districts to ease transportation, stimulate commerce, and create jobs.
Concluding with a message of unity, the governor said, “We will not return to the days of fear and bloodshed. Edo belongs to all of us. Together, we will protect it, rebuild it, and make it shine again.”
