The Akoko-Edo Forum has picked holes in the Edo State Government’s continued neglect of Akoko-Edo Local Government Area in the face of escalating insecurity and infrastructural decay.
The state government recently donated a vehicle to support security operations in Akoko-Edo.
The group alleged that upon inspection, the vehicle was found to be unserviceable, essentially a carcass.
It had to be taken to a roadside mechanic to make it towable to the council,it alleged in the statement.
It added:”This gesture, while publicly celebrated, has sparked outrage among Akoko-Edo residents and stakeholders who view it as emblematic of the government’s lack of seriousness in addressing the region’s security crisis.
“Akoko-Edo, a border LGA, continues to suffer from rampant kidnappings and criminal incursions. Its strategic location bordering Kogi and Ondo States makes it a vulnerable corridor for illicit activity. The LGA’s impassable roads, lack of resources for our local security outfits, and dearth of infrastructure compound the challenge of mounting an effective security response to the scourge befalling the LGA.’
According to the statement, the dissolution and politicised reconstitution of local vigilante and hunter groups, once the backbone of grassroots security, have further weakened community defenses.
These newly appointed operatives, many of whom are alleged to be politically affiliated, have received no stipends, no equipment, and no logistical support, yet they are expected to confront armed criminals with no resources, it also said.
It said:“This is not just about a failed vehicle donation; it is about a pattern of systemic deprivation,” said a member of Akoko-Edo Forum in a statement signed by Mary Opii on behalf of the forum. “Akoko-Edo has always been treated as a political pawn, courted during elections and abandoned thereafter. We are forced to ask: Is Akoko-Edo still considered part of Edo State in the eyes of the government?”
“Despite its significant contributions to the electoral success of Senator Monday Okpebholo as the Governor of Edo State, Akoko-Edo said it continues to be sidelined in budgetary allocations, infrastructure development, and security planning.”
The group implored Okpebholo to honour his campaign promises and take decisive action to end the marginalisation of Akoko-Edo.
It further demanded: “Deployment of functional security vehicles and equipment to the LGA, restoration and proper funding of non-partisan vigilante and hunter groups, immediate rehabilitation of critical road networks to address the insecurity in the LGA and a public explanation regarding the failed vehicle donation and steps to rectify it.
“Akoko-Edo Forum is not asking for charity; it demands justice, equity, and the right of Akoko-Edo indigenes to live without fear. The time for symbolic gestures is over. The time for keeping campaign promises made to Akoko-Edo people is now.”
