Okpebholo Vows Public Hanging for Convicted Kidnappers, Unveils Special Courts

Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has vowed to intensify the fight against kidnapping in Edo State, warning that anyone convicted of the crime could face public execution as his administration moves to establish special courts for the speedy trial of kidnapping and cultism cases.

The governor made the remarks on Thursday at the headquarters of the Edo State Police Command in Benin City after interrogating suspects linked to a recent abduction case in the state.

According to Okpebholo, his administration is finalizing plans to create special courts for kidnapping and cultism cases, with a mandate to conclude trials and deliver judgments within two to three weeks.

He said the move is part of broader efforts to strengthen security and ensure swift justice for victims of violent crimes.

“Now we are going to set up a special court to try suspected kidnappers and cultists. Within two to three weeks, we are done with it, and I will sign it,” the governor said.

Okpebholo further stated that convicted kidnappers would face severe punishment, declaring that he would have no regrets in enforcing the law against those found guilty.

“The execution — hang him. I will take you to the roundabout so that the whole of Edo people will see you, and on this I will have no regrets,” he said.

The governor’s comments come amid growing concerns over kidnapping and insecurity in Edo State, with residents and stakeholders calling for stronger measures to curb criminal activities.

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Addressing criminal elements operating in the state, Okpebholo warned that no offender would escape justice, regardless of their influence or support network.

“My message to them is simple: whoever has such a mind to kidnap should know that you cannot do it and go free. There is no crime that will be committed in Edo State that such a person will not be arrested,” he said.

He also cautioned individuals providing assistance or shelter to kidnappers and cultists, stressing that security agencies had been directed to track down all those involved in criminal activities.

“Whoever is supporting you or aiding you to do it should stop because we are ready for you. We are not joking. We are not sleeping. Day and night, security agencies are working to make sure that this land is safe,” the governor added.

The announcement follows a recent kidnapping incident involving a woman in Benin City, an event that has heightened public concern over security in the state.

The proposed special courts in Edo State are expected to accelerate the prosecution of suspects and reduce delays often associated with criminal trials. The initiative is also part of the state government’s broader strategy to tackle kidnapping, cultism, and violent crimes through a combination of law enforcement operations and judicial reforms.

While the governor’s remarks have generated widespread attention, legal experts note that criminal punishments in Nigeria remain subject to constitutional provisions, existing laws, and judicial processes.

As the state government moves forward with the proposed courts, attention will focus on how the initiative will be implemented and its impact on the fight against kidnapping in Edo State.

Okpebholo Vows Public Hanging for Convicted Kidnappers, Unveils Special Courts

Bandits Fear Death, Not God, Says Ex-NYSC DG Tsiga After 56-Day Captivity

• Retired General exposes insider collaborators, human shield tactics, and the terrifying weakness of criminal groups terrorizing Nigeria’s North-West

KADUNA, Nigeria – After surviving 56 harrowing days in the dens of armed bandits, former Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier-General Maharazu Tsiga (retd.), has delivered a sobering message to Nigerians and security chiefs alike: bandits are not invincible, they fear death, and endless negotiations will never bring an end to the terrorism and banditry plaguing the nation.

The retired military officer, who was abducted from his hometown in Tsiga, Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State, on February 5, 2025, alongside nine other residents, and released on April 1, 2025, spoke on Thursday in Kaduna during a press briefing organised by friends, associates, and colleagues of the late retired Major-General Abubakar Rabe. His testimony offered rare, unfiltered insight into the psychology, operations, and vulnerabilities of the criminal networks that have turned Nigeria’s North-West into a theatre of terror.

In his most striking remarks, Tsiga insisted that the criminals terrorizing communities are not supernatural beings but ordinary humans who can be effectively confronted. He declared that these people are human beings like everyone else, that they fear death and fear being confronted, and that if the security forces remove that fear through decisive action and face them squarely, they will achieve more meaningful results than endless negotiations. The former NYSC boss questioned the logic of negotiating with armed groups while failing to dismantle the wider infrastructure of informants, financiers, and logistics suppliers that enable their survival. He argued that a more aggressive and coordinated military strategy is urgently required to dismantle their operations and restore lasting peace.

Tsiga raised serious concerns about individuals and groups allegedly providing support to criminal organisations from within communities and public institutions. He alleged that during his captivity, he overheard bandit leaders discussing the procurement of ammunition from persons with access to government resources, suggesting that insider collaboration remains a major obstacle to peace. He asked who exactly the nation is negotiating with, pointing out that while authorities may negotiate with the bandits, those supplying them and profiting from the conflict will not allow peace to prevail because they are more interested in financial gain than the lives and property of innocent citizens. The retired general stressed that the fight against insecurity must also target individuals who provide support, intelligence, and logistics to criminal gangs. According to him, such collaborators are often embedded within communities and even public institutions, making them a far more dangerous threat than the foot soldiers wielding rifles in the forests.

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Tsiga offered a chilling assessment of the bandits’ psychology, revealing that they operate without any moral or religious restraint but tremble at the sound of fighter jets. He stated that they do not fear God, that they tell their captives not to call God for them but just to give them money, yet immediately they see aircraft, even their cows start running. This revelation has been widely interpreted as validation of the military’s ongoing aerial campaigns in the North-West, which have forced bandits to adopt desperate defensive measures – including using human shields. Security analysts have pointed to Tsiga’s testimony as confirmation that Operation Whirl Punch and other air operations are inflicting significant damage on criminal networks, destroying camps, and eliminating key leaders.

Perhaps the most disturbing revelation from Tsiga’s testimony was how the bandits exploited high-profile captives during military operations. He disclosed that whenever Nigerian Air Force aircraft approached the camp, the abductors forced hostages – especially those they knew held military rank – into the open as human shields. He recounted that whenever they were being attacked, sincerely speaking, the bandits brought them out so that the aircraft could target them, wanting them to be hit, but that God is merciful. In one particularly chilling episode, after a rocket fired at the bandits’ camp failed to explode, his captors placed the unexploded device beside where he slept, hoping he would trigger it. He recalled that they carried that rocket to where he was sleeping and hid it there so that immediately he woke up and touched it, it would explode, but God is merciful.

The retired senior military officer described conditions that tested the limits of human endurance. The abductors fed their captives only once a week – a meager meal of guinea corn – and subjected them to regular beatings. For a 72-year-old hypertensive patient like Tsiga, the excessive salt in the food compounded his suffering. He recounted that they were kept with dangerous animals – hyenas, snakes, and scorpions – and that a day before he was released, while on the mountain where he was staying, they suddenly noticed a hyena circling them, looking for food, with the only food available being the human captives themselves. The psychological torture was equally brutal, with Tsiga recalling how bandits constantly threatened to kill them, creating an atmosphere of perpetual fear and uncertainty.

The retired general further urged communities not to succumb to fear, noting that criminal groups often rely on intimidation to dominate larger populations. He observed that when only a few armed men can force hundreds or even thousands of people to flee, it shows the need for collective action, and that communities must work together with security agencies to deny criminals the space to operate. Tsiga emphasised that if the Army is doing its part and society fails to support those efforts, then everyone has failed, insisting that security is a collective responsibility and that only a united front involving security agencies, government institutions, and citizens can successfully confront banditry, terrorism, and their sponsors. He called on Nigerians to provide timely and credible intelligence to security forces, emphasizing that the National Security Adviser and the Chief of Defence Staff are not magicians and cannot act without reliable information from the public.

The bandits initially demanded ₦400 million for Tsiga’s release. A coordinated fundraising effort, organised through a WhatsApp platform named “TSIGA,” brought together over 300 members – including retired and serving military officers, university lecturers, ambassadors, and business people. Brigadier General Ismaila Abdullahi (retd.), who coordinated the effort, revealed that donations flowed in like August Rains after Tsiga’s bank account details were shared. While conflicting figures regarding the actual ransom amount have been reported – some sources claiming ₦60 million, others suggesting three times that amount – the ordeal highlighted the broader crisis of kidnapping in Nigeria. A 2024 National Bureau of Statistics report estimated that Nigerians paid approximately ₦2.2 trillion in ransom over a 12-month period, with an average of ₦2.67 million paid per kidnapping incident.

Security analysts have pointed to Tsiga’s testimony as validation of the military’s ongoing aerial campaigns in the North-West. According to Mukhtar Ya’u Madobi, a research fellow at the Centre for Crisis Communication, the general’s account reignited public confidence in the military’s relentless campaign against banditry. Operations such as Operation Hadin Kai in the North-East and Operation Whirl Punch in the North-West have sustained pressure on criminal networks, destroying camps and eliminating key leaders. Despite occasional incidents of collateral damage, the effectiveness of airstrikes has forced bandits to adopt desperate defensive measures – including using human shields. However, Tsiga’s warning about insider collaborators suggests that military action alone will not suffice, and that the networks of informants, financiers, and logistics suppliers that sustain banditry must also be dismantled through intelligence-driven operations and community engagement.

Now reunited with his family, Tsiga reflected on his release with profound gratitude while urging Nigerians to remain resilient in the fight against insecurity. He recalled that when they brought him out, he asked himself if he was still a human being. He called on his military colleagues to remain steadfast, describing the security challenge as one that will prepare the nation for a stronger future, noting that they were there 20 years ago doing the same thing and that it is a challenge, but a very good challenge that will prepare their future. As communities across Nigeria grapple with escalating insecurity, Tsiga’s message is clear: the military is making progress, bandits are terrified of air power, and citizens must play their part in providing intelligence to end the menace.

Bandits Fear Death, Not God, Says Ex-NYSC DG Tsiga After 56-Day Captivity

Alaafin Owoade I Steps In, Resolves Oyo Muslim Community Feud

OYO – What began as a worrying rift within the Muslim community of Oyo Land has now been laid to rest, thanks to the decisive and fatherly intervention of His Imperial Majesty, Kabiyesi Abdul Hakeem Abimbola Owoade I, the Alaafin of Oyo. The resolution, announced on Thursday, has brought a swift end to the internal disagreements that threatened to fracture the unity of one of the oldest Muslim populations in Yoruba land, reaffirming the ancient town’s reputation as a beacon of religious coexistence.

In an official statement released by the Office of the Director of Media and Publicity to the Grand Chief Imam of Oyo Land, Mallam Ibrahim Agunbiade, the palace confirmed that the Alaafin’s timely involvement was instrumental in steering the warring factions back to the table of brotherhood. Describing the monarch’s role as guided by wisdom, fairness, and a deep commitment to peace, the office noted that the intervention helped restore understanding and harmony among all parties involved, effectively cooling tempers and reopening channels for constructive dialogue.

The spiritual leader of the Oyo Muslim community, Sheikh Al-Imam Barrister Bilal Husayn Akinola Akeugberu, the Grand Chief Imam of Oyo Land, expressed profound appreciation for the royal father’s efforts. In his remarks, the Imam also acknowledged the collective contributions of respected elders, Islamic scholars, and community stakeholders who worked behind the scenes to ensure the reconciliation did not fail. Special gratitude was extended to Baba Mainasara (Ameerul Mu’mineen), whose counsel, prayers, and fatherly guidance were singled out as invaluable pillars that added immense value to the entire peace process.

Alaafin Owoade I Steps In, Resolves Oyo Muslim Community Feud

While the press release did not delve into the specific triggers of the disagreement, sources within the community suggest that the issues bordered on administrative and doctrinal nuances that had escalated over recent weeks. However, the swift resolution has been widely celebrated as a victory for Islamic principles of brotherhood, patience, and the timeless value of dialogue over discord. The Grand Chief Imam has since reiterated his unwavering commitment to promoting harmony, mutual respect, and cooperation not only among the Muslim Ummah but also across the entire populace of Oyo Land.

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This peace deal comes at a critical time when the Oyo Muslim community has remained vocal and active on pressing national issues. Just weeks before this internal rift, Muslim leaders across the state had converged for a special prayer session seeking divine intervention for the release of kidnapped teachers and pupils in Oriire Local Government Area. Additionally, the community had earlier rejected demands by abductors for the implementation of Sharia law, categorically describing the perpetrators as criminals who do not represent true Islamic values. The latest resolution, therefore, reinforces the community’s capacity to resolve internal matters without compromising their collective voice on broader national concerns.

Since ascending the throne in 2025, the Alaafin, Oba Abdul Hakeem Abimbola Owoade I, has consistently positioned himself as a unifier and a custodian of Yoruba heritage. His recent pledge to promote Yoruba culture globally and maintain neutrality among traditional institutions has earned him widespread respect. This latest intervention further cements his reputation as a royal father who places the stability of his domain above all else, proving that traditional institutions remain relevant and powerful tools for conflict resolution in modern Nigeria.

Citing the Holy Qur’an, the Office of the Grand Chief Imam reminded the faithful of the divine injunction in Surah Al-Hujurat, Verse 10: “The believers are but brothers, so make peace between your brothers and be mindful of Allah that you may receive mercy.” The statement concluded with prayers for Almighty Allah to continue blessing the Imperial Majesty, strengthening the Muslim Ummah, and granting lasting peace and prosperity to Oyo Land and the entire nation.

Alaafin Owoade I Steps In, Resolves Oyo Muslim Community Feud