Civil society groups in Edo State are sharply divided over the rising wave of insecurity, following the killing of eight personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) attached to the BUA Cement Factory in Okpella, Etsako East Local Council, and the abduction of a Chinese expatriate.
At least four others sustained injuries in the incident.
While the Edo Civil Society Organisations (EDOCSO) and the Edo State Civil Society Coalition for Human Rights condemned the alarming trend and demanded urgent action from government and security agencies, another group — the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations — faulted their position.
EDOCSO, in a statement signed by its Assistant Secretary General, Leftist Aliyu Umweni, decried the “incessant and unabated kidnapping of citizens,” warning that Edo had become a haven for kidnappers driven out of neighbouring states.
He urged Governor Okpehbolo to prioritise security over political calculations for the 2027 elections.
Supporting this view, the Edo State Civil Society Coalition for Human Rights, through its leaders, Kola Edokpayi and Aghatise Raphael, described Edo as a “tragic theatre of insecurity” and urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency.
They stressed that lasting security must be rebuilt from the grassroots in collaboration with communities, faith groups, and civil society.