The fight against insecurity in Edo State may be facing a troubling new twist. According to Governor Monday Okpebholo, some residents are no longer acting alone but are allegedly bringing in criminals from outside the state to carry out kidnappings and other violent crimes.
If true, the claim points to a deeper problem. It suggests that criminal activities may not only be driven by outsiders, but also by people living within communities who know their victims and help coordinate attacks.
What Governor Okpebholo Said
The Edo Crime Recruitment allegation was made by Governor Okpebholo during the 2026 Ministers’ Conference organized by the Edo State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in Benin City.
Speaking to church leaders and participants at the gathering, the governor claimed that some individuals in Edo were working with criminal gangs from other states to carry out kidnap-for-ransom operations.
According to him, local collaborators allegedly identify victims, arrange the abductions, and then hand those victims over to hired criminals waiting inside forests and remote areas.
“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,” the governor said.
He also questioned the source of wealth displayed by some individuals, saying expensive cars and newly built houses often raise suspicion.
“They will tell you they are Yahoo Boys,” he added.
Governor Says Some Security Reports Are False
Governor Okpebholo admitted that insecurity remains a concern in Edo State, but argued that the situation is being exaggerated online by people seeking to damage the image of his administration.
He recounted receiving information about an alleged security incident along Sapele Road and immediately dispatching security personnel to the area.
However, he claimed security operatives later discovered that nothing had happened.
According to the governor, some reports shared on social media are designed to spread fear and create the impression that the government has lost control of security in the state.
“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,” he said.
The governor assured residents that security agencies are working around the clock to stop criminal groups from gaining a stronger foothold in Edo communities.
Is Insecurity Becoming An Inside Job?
The Edo Crime Recruitment allegation highlights growing concerns that kidnappings and violent crimes may increasingly involve insiders who know their communities well.
Security experts have long warned that criminal gangs often rely on informants to identify wealthy targets, monitor movements, and provide details about victims’ daily routines.
If local residents are indeed collaborating with armed groups from outside Edo, tackling insecurity may require more than police patrols and checkpoints.
It could mean strengthening intelligence gathering, encouraging residents to report suspicious activities, and rebuilding trust between communities and security agencies.
Governor Okpebholo also appealed to religious leaders not to intervene when suspects are arrested.
“Pastors, if you hear that I have arrested somebody, don’t come to beg me,” he said, insisting that criminal cases should be allowed to follow due process.
