Judges and top legal practitioners in Edo State have thrown their weight behind Governor Monday Okpebholo’s intensified campaign against cultism and kidnapping, pledging full cooperation with the state government in restoring law and order.
This endorsement came during a high-level meeting on Tuesday at the Government House in Benin City, where the Governor hosted the Chief Judge of Edo State, Hon. Justice Daniel Iyobosa Okungbowa, and a delegation of judges and legal professionals.
Governor Okpebholo described the partnership between the executive and judiciary as “very cordial,” praising the legal community for their timely support and advice. He called for deeper collaboration in the fight against insecurity, warning that unchecked cultism and kidnapping could stall Edo’s economic growth.
“There is a fight against cultism, and I am taking it very seriously. I need your cooperation,” Okpebholo said. “These crimes are a major setback to our economic development. We must bring them down to the barest minimum so we can feel safe again, our children can invest here, and their investments will be protected.”
The Governor highlighted recent legal reforms aimed at strengthening the crackdown on criminal activities, including the signing into law of the Secret Cult and Similar Activities (Prohibition) Law, 2025, and the Kidnapping Prohibition (Amendment) Law, 2025. The new legislation prescribes severe penalties — including a 10-year sentence for harboring cultists, 21 years for cult-related violence or damage, and the death penalty for fatal kidnapping cases.
Chief Judge Okungbowa used the occasion to brief the Governor on staffing shortages in the judiciary, revealing that many professionals had left for better opportunities abroad. In response, Okpebholo pledged to support the recruitment of more judicial staff to boost the administration of justice and ensure effective prosecution of security-related cases.
The meeting ended with a unified resolve from both the executive and judicial arms of government to clamp down on criminality and ensure peace and stability across Edo State.
