Senator Joseph Ikpea
….. Urged constituents to be security conscious, report strange activities to authorities
From our news desk, Benin
The Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo has been applauded for being proactive in the shutting down of schools against the threats of surging insecurity.
The senator representing Edo Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Joseph Ikpea, made the commendation on Thursday, 11 June, 2026 in a statement circulated amongst journalists in Benin.
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On Wednesday, in Benin, the State Government in a statement by its Chief Press Secretary, Patrick Ebojele announced the shut down of the secondary schools in Akoko-Edo local Government Council Area.
The shut down follows a red alert raised by the Department of State Security (DSS) on the plan by a group of bandits to attack some schools in the State, it was said.
Senator Ikpea said; by closing some of the schools prone to the threat as warned by the DSS, Governor Okpebholo had shown uncommon leadership and full grasp of the elementary principle of governance which places a premium over the wellbeing of the people.
The Senator said that with the situation of security in the nation, it was just ideal that the Governor did not treat the security red alert raised by the top security agency with kids’ gloves.
“I want to commend His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo, the Executive Governor of our dear State, Edo State, for the prompt decision he took yesterday; Wednesday, closing down three different secondary schools in the Akoko Edo Area of the State.
It should be noted; that the closure follows the security alert raised by the Department of State Security (DSS) that some undesirable elements in our society were planning to attack some schools in Edo North Senatorial District with a view to kidnapping our children.
“The decision by Governor Okpebholo to have acted swiftly when he got the information goes to show his good and uncommon leadership and understanding of the principle of governance which stipulates that the government must seek the wellbeing of the people at all times.
“There is no doubt the decision to close the schools at this period comes with its pain; given that students across the nation are writing one national or sub-continental examination, it is just ideal that the Governor closed the schools instead of waiting for the evil act to be perpetrated.” Senator Ikpea stated.
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Senator Ikpea also called on Nigerians, particularly his Edo Central Senatorial District constituents to be vigilant and report any strange activity in their areas to security agencies and concerned authorities.
“It is pertinent at this juncture to call on Nigerians to be more vigilant. The issue of security, given the development in our dear nation today, has gone beyond it being the exclusive preserve of the Government.
“All citizens must be involved and take the matter as part of their civic responsibilities to the Nigerian State.
“I want to appeal to the people of Edo Central not to consider the alert as raised by the DSS as the problem of Edo North Senatorial District alone, because the security advisory did not mention Edo Central.
“It is obvious that the undesirable elements responsible for this dastardly act of kidnapping don’t discriminate against tribe and region.
“Therefore, our people must be conscious of their environment, study all strange faces that come into their neighbourhood and take the bold step by reporting any strange activity around them to security agents and the authorities concerned.
“We should not wait till it happens before we act”. He counselled.
Senator Ikpea while praising the DSS and other security agencies in the State for their collaboration with the Governor Okpebholo-led administration for making Edo State safe, assured that he would continue to support any initiative by the State Government against all undesirable elements.
It would be recalled; that in a leaked memo from the Edo State Command of Department of State Services (DSS), addressed to the State Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the intelligence agency said it had uncovered a plan to abduct students in public schools in Edo North Senatorial District.
The document also claimed that a communication between two suspects where the plot was being planned; was intercepted and that an individual had been arrested who was found in one of the public schools in the area, apparently on a surveillance mission.
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