The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State alleged on Sunday that Governor Monday Okpebholo has lost control of the state to criminals.
The party was reacting to the suspension of the Commander of the State Security Network Corps (SSNC), Friday Ibadin, in the aftermath of last week’s killing of m8k16 northern travelers by a mob in Uromi, Esan North-East Local Government Area of the state.
The PDP, in a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary in the state, Chris Nehikhare, said the suspension of Ibadin was an indication that the Okpebholo’s administration was no longer in touch with the security set up in the state.
The party stressed that the suspension of the SSNC Commander was a “clear admission by the government that the security architecture of the state has failed.”
It opined that the government’s classification of the perpetrators as an illegal vigilante group has further exposed the absence of a coherent security framework under the current administration and a continuation of the blame game it has come to master.
The statement read: “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.
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“The suspension of the Commander of the Edo State Security Corps, CP. Friday Ibadin (retd), is a clear admission by the government that the security architecture of the state has failed.
“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 are paying the price with their lives.
“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.”
The PDP demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of the killers to prevent further loss of lives in the state.
© Ripples Nigeria