Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has vowed to sign the execution warrants of convicted kidnappers regardless of their relationship with him, declaring that he would personally supervise the execution of anyone found guilty under the state’s kidnapping law.
The governor made the declaration in a video shared by TheCable on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, while speaking about his administration’s efforts to tackle kidnapping and other violent crimes in Edo State.
Okpebholo insisted that he would not spare anyone convicted of kidnapping, even if the person were his father or a close family member.
“I pray our brothers are not involved because I will sign it. Even if it is my father, I will sign it. The truth is this: we just have to get some bad elements out of the system for the system to stand,” he said.
The governor defended the position by referring to the suffering of kidnapping victims, including the physical injuries and psychological trauma associated with abductions.
He cited an incident involving a woman who was allegedly pushed during an attempted abduction, arguing that the fear and trauma she experienced could have resulted in her death.
“Just look at the way they were pushing that woman down there. Supposing she died at that, because of fear, only fear. It’s enough for her to die. People have gone through trauma,” he said.
Okpebholo also referred to an attack on the Edo State Chief Judge, claiming that the judicial officer sustained serious injuries, including the loss of the use of one hand, during an encounter with kidnappers.
“Even our Chief Judge, if you see our Chief Judge, one of his hands was cut off by kidnappers,” the governor added.
He disclosed that he had contacted the state Attorney-General to establish the status of the relevant documents relating to the execution process and was awaiting further action.
The governor also vowed to pursue cases through the appeal process, insisting that his administration would continue to follow the legal proceedings involving convicted kidnappers.
“But we still follow them up on the appeal. We won’t just let them go like that. So we will get to wherever they stop, we will take them from there. We will not spare anybody,” he said.
Reaffirming his position, Okpebholo declared that he was prepared to sign the warrants and supervise the executions once the necessary documents were presented to him.
“I stand, if I see this paper today, now, I will sign it and I will even supervise the killing,” he stated.
The comments come amid the implementation of the Edo State Kidnapping Prohibition (Amendment) Law, 2025, which introduced the death penalty for specified kidnapping offences resulting in the death of victims.
The Edo State House of Assembly passed the amendment in February 2025, and Okpebholo subsequently signed it into law.
Under the amended legislation, kidnapping offences in which victims survive attract life imprisonment, while those directly involved in abductions resulting in the death of victims are liable to capital punishment. The law also provides penalties for individuals who aid, abet or support kidnapping activities.
The governor’s latest remarks follow the September 29, 2026 judgment of the Edo State Special Criminal Court, which sentenced four men to death over the abduction of a woman at the Vegetable Market along Airport Road in Benin City.
The convicts were identified as Marvellous Isaac, Wisdom Michael, Rufus Emete Michael and Gift Raphael. They were found guilty of offences arising from the abduction, which occurred on June 14, 2026.
Okpebholo had earlier said he would sign the death warrants of the four men if they failed to appeal their sentences within the stipulated 30-day period.
His administration also established a special criminal court to accelerate the prosecution of kidnapping and cultism cases in the state.
The governor’s comments have again drawn attention to the implementation of capital punishment in Edo State and the legal procedures that must precede any execution.
A death sentence imposed by a court remains subject to the applicable appeal process and other legal requirements. The governor’s declaration does not, by itself, establish that an execution warrant has been issued or that any execution has been scheduled.
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