BENIN CITY, Edo State — Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has vowed to sign the death warrants of four people sentenced to death over the kidnapping of a woman at the Vegetable Market along Airport Road in Benin City if they fail to appeal their convictions within the stipulated 30 days.
The governor made the declaration while speaking at God’s People Worldwide Prayer Ministry in Ileh, near Ekpoma, Edo Central, where he discussed his administration’s efforts to tackle kidnapping, cultism and other violent crimes across the state.
Okpebholo said insecurity was one of the major challenges confronting the state when he assumed office, adding that he had made security a priority in his administration.
Recounting the response to the Vegetable Market kidnapping, the governor said he contacted President Bola Tinubu after the incident and subsequently directed the Commissioner of Police to ensure the swift arrest of those responsible.
He claimed that he prayed for the suspects to be apprehended within 24 hours and that they were arrested within that period.
The four defendants were sentenced to death by an Edo State Special Criminal Court on September 29, 2026, over the abduction of a woman at the Vegetable Market area of Airport Road, Benin City.
Speaking about their fate following the judgment, Okpebholo expressed the hope that the convicts would not appeal their sentences.
“They are already sentenced to death, and I pray they don’t appeal the judgment. Even when they appeal the judgment, they are only delaying time,” he said.
The governor added: “If within 30 days, they don’t appeal, I will execute.”
However, the governor’s declaration has raised legal questions about the applicable period for filing an appeal and the procedures required before a death sentence can be carried out.
A legal practitioner has argued that the convicts should be allowed the legally prescribed 90-day period to appeal. The execution of a death sentence is subject to applicable legal procedures, and the governor’s public statement does not remove the convicts’ right to pursue available legal remedies.
Okpebholo also said he had met traditional rulers across Edo State before launching his administration’s campaign against kidnapping and cultism, warning them against intervening on behalf of people involved in criminal activities.
He maintained that his government would not tolerate attempts to shield those accused or convicted of serious crimes from the consequences of their actions.
At the same gathering, the founder of God’s People Worldwide Prayer Ministry, Apostle Ehijele Umuahia, urged members of the congregation to participate actively in the 2027 general elections and vote for the governor and his preferred candidates.
Umuahia praised Okpebholo’s commitment to his faith, saying he had known the governor for more than 15 years, dating back to the days of the late Chief Tony Anenih.
The four convicts’ next legal steps will be significant in determining how the case proceeds. Meanwhile, the governor’s remarks have renewed attention on the government’s approach to kidnapping, criminal accountability and the legal safeguards governing capital punishment in Nigeria.
