00:00Edo State Governor, Monday Okpevolo has called for more stakeholder supports and actions towards ending secret cult-related killings and other organized violent crimes in the state, stating that the aged non-secret cult war in the south-south state of Nigeria has driven away a lot of investors and as such, Edo State has been at a loss of $1 billion every year, with statistics, according to the governor showing that the natives of Edo State top the list of the highest diaspora remittances.
00:30in Nigeria, but, over 95% of the natives divert the funds to other states to avoid secret cult violence in the state also known as the heartbeat of the nation. Governor Monday Okpevolo made through the office of the Chief Press Secretary to Governor, Fred Itua in a statement issued on Wednesday. According to the statement, the Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpevolo has expressed deep concerns over the adverse impacts of long years of cultism on the state.
01:00the state's economy, particularly the loss of lives and the loss of over $1 billion worth of potential investments annually. These acts of violence, predominantly driven by clashes among rival cult groups, have not only led to tragic loss of lives and property but have also discouraged investments and tourism, ultimately slowing economic growth.
01:20The chief press secretary to the governor, Fred Itua, stated that the high spate of cult-related violence in the last five years, long before Governor Okpevolo assumed office, has caused substantial disruptions to economic activities, as investors and business owners increasingly grew wary of the security situation.
01:42What we have witnessed in Edo was more than a threat to public peace. It was a significant drain on our economic potential.
01:49According to statistics by the Diaspora Commission, Edo State tops the list of states with the highest remittance from the diaspora.
01:57However, 95% of the repatriated funds ended up in different states because of cultism and other violent crimes as our people in the diaspora were scared of coming home to invest.
02:09This loss in disposable income, closure of businesses, and decline in tourism severely impacted the state's business climate, Itua said.
02:18He noted that the state's critical infrastructure and commercial centers were also affected, with some businesses forced to shut down temporarily or permanently, owing to security concerns.
02:29The fear of violence also deterred potential visitors, resulting in a downturn in hospitality, transportation, and other tourism-related sectors.
02:39Itua said the narrative has however changed, since Governor Okpevolo declared a total war on cult-related violence in Edo State.
02:48He said the efforts of Governor Okpevolo are already yielding results, with more stakeholders joining the support groups against cult-related violence in Edo State.
02:58Itua noted that the state is regaining its lost glory and that sanity is being restored.
03:04He urged Edo sons and daughters both in Nigeria and in the diaspora to bring their investments home and help in the economic development of the state.
03:13Governor Munday Okpevolo is restoring peace to Edo State, especially in Benin City, where cult-related violence had held sway for too long.
03:22Our hard-working sons and daughters, both in Nigeria and in the diaspora, can now bring their investments to their homeland, Edo State.
03:32Hospitality is a big business in Edo State. We have real estate. Governor Okpevolo is also sanitizing land administration.
03:40This means Edo people can now invest massively in real estate. Agriculture is a viable sector in Edo State, and it can bring huge returns on investments and create jobs for our people.
03:52Governor Okpevolo is urging our people to look towards that direction. We have the skills, and the needed. Support will be given by the administration of Governor Okpevolo for Edo people to set up industries, hotels, commercial farms, real estate, and other key investments.
04:10These investments will be protected and guaranteed by the state government, Ichua noted.
04:17As for the remnants of miscreants still holding sway in some isolated areas, Governor Okpevolo is engaging community leaders, youth groups, civil society organizations, and security stakeholders to foster peace-building and tackle the root causes of cultism.
04:33This is not a fight for government alone. It is a collective responsibility. We are calling on all well-meaning Edo citizens to work with Governor Okpevolo in reclaiming our communities from the grip of violence, Ichua added.
04:48He reassured the public that Governor Okpevolo remains committed to building a safe and secure environment where businesses can flourish and citizens can live without fear.
04:58Edo State has immense economic potentials. Governor Okpevolo will not allow violence and cultism to define our future. With the right partnerships and firm action, Governor Okpevolo is restoring peace, attracting investments, and repositioning our economy for sustainable growth.
05:17We have reported that the Edo State government led by Governor Okpevolo has issued an executive order, blacklisting a government-registered acclaimed socio-cultural organization, the neo-black movement, NBM as a violent organization among those responsible for violent crimes of high rates of secret cult-related homicide killings in the state, and in a swift reaction, the president of the neo-black movement of Africa, NBM, Olarogunasei Karkur.
05:46While speaking with a panel of presenters at Arise News Television during the TV program, accused the Governor, Monday Okpevolo of allegedly using members of the black-axe confraternity during his election, adding that the Governor never consulted with them to know if members of black-axe confraternity are also members of the neo-black movement, saying, the Governor is now attacking NBM because of black-axe.
06:12Stressing that, black-axe confraternity is a criminal organization, insisting that, members of the confraternity are never members of the NBM, and shortly after the NBM president's statement, large group of youths in Edo State led a solidarity protest match to the Edo State Government House in Benin City to express their support and willingness to defend the government policies and actions to stop the massive destructions of lives and creation of young widows and high rates of fatherless children.
06:40In the state due to secret cult activities, this, assessments of some of the pro-government policy protesters indicated that some of them are people who may have identified themselves in the past as members of the neo-black movement and they also appeared to be people very loyal to one of the prominent leaders of the NBM.
07:02Antony Arden aka Tony Kabaka who trended when he was interviewed about the activities of the NBM in a BBC documentary published by the British Broadcasting Service some years back.
07:13We had report that, in apparent anger, Edo State Government under the leadership of Governor Munday Okpebholo has issued a serious warning with a strong message sent to the president of the neo-black movement of Africa, NBM, Olarogunasekarko that the Edo State Government has started consultations to enable it take more appropriate legal action against the neo-black movement, saying,
07:38The international headquarters or secretariat of the movement situated at a MAGBA area in Benin City that was demolished last month by the state government, has been an enclave used for planning and execution of secret cult-related killings by members of the neo-black movement.
07:54The government the governor also referred to and described as, black acts secret cult, probably expressing more anger that the leadership and members of the neo-black movement had the courage to come out publicly to identify themselves with the demolished building, the governor said they will be made to face prosecution, this, the national president of the neo-black movement, Olarogunasekarko while speaking in reaction to the demolished building on Arise News TV program, said,
08:23The movement is not black acts, emphasizing that black acts is a criminal organization while the neo-black movement is a social-cultural organization that promote and engage in humanitarian services.
08:35It would be recalled that we had reported that the Edo State Police Command of Nigeria Police Force has confirmed the arrest of 95 persons in connection with the killing of more than 15 people between April 25, 2025 and now in the renewed deadly and bloody apparent supremacy secret cult war in the state among members of the black acts confraternity aka
08:58Maphite confraternity aka great men and IEA confraternity aka air lids which started with the killing of a physiotherapist, simply identified as Alex, and another individual at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH Backgate, or BOO, in Benin, with the Edo State Government led by Governor Munday Okpevolo launching a retaliatory war against businesses and individuals allegedly aiding secret cult killings in the state.
09:28Thus, sealed off Edo State. Thus, sealed off Eterno Hotel, planned to demolish the hotel owed by People's Democratic Party, PDP Chieftain, Honorable Matthew Ida Akemwon, who was the Director General of Aswan, Ogie, a campaign organization in the last governorship election in the state, on the ground that a particular secret cult group members gathered at the Eterno Hotel to plan their recent killings in the state,
09:53and in addition, and in addition, the Edo State Governor also sealed off and marked a residential building for demolition also owed by a PDP Chieftain, Francis Enegbedecki.
