Edo Security: Ekpoma Residents Protest External Attacks
January 12, 2026
By Olusegun Hosea
Residents of Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, have raised concerns over recurring security threats and alleged external attacks, calling on the state government to intensify efforts to restore peace and safety in the area.
Speaking during a televised discussion, government representatives and community stakeholders acknowledged that security challenges in Ekpoma and surrounding communities remain a top priority for the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo. They emphasized that without adequate security, government development projects and agricultural initiatives cannot be effectively implemented.
According to government officials, the state has been working closely with security agencies and community leaders to address the situation. Several meetings have reportedly been held in affected areas, while intelligence-led and technology-driven strategies are being deployed to identify and dismantle criminal hideouts, particularly in forested areas.
“Security is paramount. Without it, contractors cannot access project sites, farmers cannot go to their farms, and development will be stalled,” a government representative said. He assured residents that concrete measures are already in place and that results will soon become visible, although security strategies cannot be fully discussed publicly.The discussion also addressed growing public narratives that link the attacks to Fulani herders. Government officials cautioned against ethnic profiling, stressing that intelligence reports describe the perpetrators as bandits and criminals rather than members of any specific ethnic group.
“These criminals can come from any tribe,” one official explained. “While intelligence shows that some suspects arrested are of northern extraction, it would be wrong and dangerous to stereotype an entire ethnic group.”
Community leaders, however, expressed deep concern about what they described as a coordinated agenda involving land grabbing and the establishment of hidden settlements in forests around Uromi, Ugbegun, and other parts of Esan land. They alleged that some of these groups operate with the support of local collaborators and warned that the situation could escalate if not urgently addressed.
One community representative stated that the problem goes beyond Edo State and poses a broader threat to national security if left unchecked. He called for greater involvement of local youths in community-based security efforts, while urging the government to act decisively.
In response, government officials rejected claims of internal sabotage within the administration, insisting that all arms of government are united in tackling insecurity. They acknowledged, however, that criminal collaboration may exist within communities and stressed the need for residents to also “look inward” and cooperate with security agencies.
The state government reiterated its commitment to restoring peace, noting that security is essential to protecting lives, farmlands, and investments across Edo State.
