Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has pledged that the Edo State Government will immediately rebuild shops destroyed by a fire outbreak at the Ekpoma Police Division in Ekpoma, a major town in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, southern Nigeria.
Okay News reports that the governor gave the assurance during an on-the-spot assessment visit to the police station, where dozens of shops constructed by the Police Officers’ Wives Association were razed in the incident, leaving several traders devastated.
According to a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor on Tuesday, the state government would not only rebuild the affected structures but would also intensify security measures in the area following a series of violent incidents.
Addressing traders whose livelihoods were affected, Governor Okpebholo expressed deep concern over the incident, describing it as part of what he called a troubling pattern of coordinated violence in Ekpoma.
“A lot of things are happening here now. But we are going after them,” the governor said.
The governor rejected claims circulating in some quarters that the attackers were Fulani herdsmen, insisting instead that the violence was politically motivated and aimed at destabilising the community.
“They are killing our people, with the name they are Fulanis. They are not Fulanis. They are political elements. We have started arresting them,” he stated.
Reinforcing his stance on accountability, the governor stressed that no individual would be shielded from justice, regardless of status or personal connection.
“There’s nothing to fear. Our people will not suffer for nothing. No matter how highly placed they are, we will go after all of them. I will not listen to anybody when the time comes.
“Even if it were my own father involved in kidnapping, violence, or destruction, he would be brought to justice. No one is above the law,” Okpebholo warned.
The governor was accompanied by senior state and security officials, including the Edo State Commissioner for Public Security and Safety, Honourable Ebea Festus Odianosen; the Commissioner of Police in Edo State, Monday Agbonika; and the Commander of the Four Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Ahmed Olatunboju, among others.
Earlier, two shop owners, Mr. Israel Ughulu and Professor Aghemelo Austin Thomas, who spoke on behalf of the affected traders, said they were victims of an incident they neither anticipated nor understood.
Ughulu recounted how the fire spread rapidly in the middle of the night, leaving shop owners helpless.
“At about twelve midnight, we got a call that our shops were on fire. In less than 30 seconds, the whole building went down. We watched our properties burn until about 5 a.m. without any help,” he said.
The traders described the governor’s visit as unprecedented, noting that a similar fire incident had occurred about two years earlier on the opposite side of the same complex without attracting comparable government attention.
As crowds gathered during the governor’s tour of the affected area, residents commended the state government for its swift response and reassurance.
In a major relief announcement, Governor Okpebholo disclosed that reconstruction work would begin within the week and that traders would receive additional support beyond rebuilding the shops.
“Between now and Friday, they will come and start building this place for you people. After the building, we will take inventory so that you will return to your shops without going to borrow from the bank,” he said.
The incident is linked to a broader security crisis in Ekpoma, which escalated after a peaceful protest against insecurity on Saturday turned violent.
The protest, organised by residents to draw attention to kidnappings and the killing of a youth on Friday night, was hijacked by hoodlums who blocked a major highway and attacked traders at the livestock market, killing goats and injuring cattle, scenes that later went viral on social media.
The attackers also vandalised the palace of the Onojie of Ekpoma, His Royal Majesty Zaiki Anthony Abumere the Second, an action strongly condemned by the governor.
Confirming security developments, the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, said one person was shot by a soldier during the unrest, adding that the matter had been referred to military authorities for investigation.
The crisis began in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area, when residents demanded urgent government action over rising insecurity, including kidnappings and violent attacks in the area.
