Senator Joseph Ikpea, representing Edo Central Senatorial District of Edo State at the National Assembly, on Thursday applauded what he described as Governor Monday Okpebholo’s “proactive” response to the security alert by the state’s Department of State Security, DSS, of an impeding attack by bandits on three public secondary schools in Akoko-Edo local government area of the state by immediately ordering the closure of the affected schools.

The schools identified by the DSS are: Ososo Grammar School, Ososo; Ososo Comprehensive High School, Ososo; and Makeke Secondary School, Makeke, all in Akoko-Edo local government area, Edo North Senatorial District.
Senator Ikpea, in his personally signed statement circulated to newsmen in Benin City, described the governor’s action as a demonstration of his “good and uncommon leadership and understanding of the principle of governance” which, he noted, stipulates that the government must always seek the wellbeing of the people.

He noted that with the situation of security in the country, it was ideal that the governor closed the schools rather than wait for the students to be abducted.

The senator however advised that the DSS threat alert must also be taken seriously by his Edo Central constituents as well as Nigerians at large.

Recall that a leaked memo from the Edo State Command of the DSS addressed to the State Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), had alerted of a plan to abduct students in some public secondary schools in Edo North Senatorial District.
The DSS claimed that it intercepted a communication between two suspects involved in the plot and that an individual who was found in one of the public schools in the area, apparently on a surveillance mission, had been arrested.

Hailing the governors swift response, the former Commissioner for Minerals, Oil and Gas in the immediate past administration, said, “I want to commend His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo, the Executive Governor of our dear state, Edo State, for the prompt decision he took yesterday by closing down three different secondary schools in the Akoko Edo Local Government Area of the state following the security alert raised by the Department of State Security that some undesirable elements in our society were planning to attack some schools in Edo North Senatorial District with a view to kidnapping our children.

“The decision by the Governor Okpebholo to act swiftly when he got the information goes to show his good and uncommon leadership and understanding of the principle of governance which stipulates that the government must seek the wellbeing of the people at all times.

“There is no doubt the decision to close the school at this period comes with its pain given that students across the nation are writing one national or sub-continental examination. It is just ideal that the governor closed the schools instead of waiting for the evil act to be perpetrated.” Senator Ikpea stated.

Calling on Nigerians, particularly his Edo Central Senatorial District constituents to be vigilant and report any strange activity in their areas to security agencies and concerned authorities, he said, “It is pertinent at this juncture to call on Nigerians to be more vigilant.

“The issue of security, given the development in our dear nation today, has gone beyond it being the exclusive preserve of the government. All citizens must be involved and take the matter as part of their civic responsibilities to the Nigerian State.”

Underscoring the need for his constituents to also be on their guard, Senator Ikpea said, “I want to appeal to the people of Edo Central not to consider the alert as raised by the Department of State Security as the problem of Edo North Senatorial District because the security advisory did not mention Edo Central.
“It is obvious that the undesirable elements responsible for this dastardly act of kidnapping don’t discriminate against tribe and religion. Therefore, our people must be conscious of their environment, study all strange faces that come into their neighbourhood and take the bold step by reporting any strange activity around them to security agents and the authorities concerned. We should not wait till it happens before we act.”

While praising the DSS and other security agencies in the state for their collaboration with the Governor Okpebholo-led administration for making Edo State safe, Senator Ikpea assured that he would continue to support any initiative by the Edo State Government to rid the state of all undesirable elements.