Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has vowed to sign the death warrant of anyone convicted of kidnapping, declaring that he would not spare even his own father if found guilty of the crime.
The governor also threatened to personally supervise the execution of convicted kidnappers, insisting that those responsible for abductions and killings in the state must face the full weight of the law.
Okpebholo spoke in a viral video on Tuesday amid efforts by his administration to enforce the state law prescribing capital punishment for kidnapping offences resulting in the death of victims.
He said he would not allow family ties to influence his decision to approve the execution of anyone convicted of the offence.
“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.
“Because somebody will die. But these people are the ones killing people. How many people have we killed?” he said.
The governor justified the tough approach by recounting the trauma suffered by kidnapping victims, including a woman who was allegedly pushed during an abduction attempt.
He also cited an attack on the state’s Chief Judge, claiming that kidnappers had inflicted severe injuries on one of his hands.
Okpebholo said he had contacted the state Attorney-General to establish the status of the relevant documents, adding that his administration would pursue the cases through the appeal process to ensure that convicted kidnappers did not escape punishment.
“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.
“I stand, if I see this paper today, now, I will sign it and I will even supervise the killing,” he declared.
The governor’s threat comes amid the implementation of the Edo State Kidnapping Prohibition (Amendment) Law, 2025, which introduced the death penalty for kidnapping offences resulting in the death of victims.
The Edo State House of Assembly passed the amendment in February 2025, and Okpebholo signed it into law later that month.
The law prescribes life imprisonment for kidnapping offences where victims survive, while those directly involved in abductions resulting in the death of victims face capital punishment. It also provides penalties for individuals who aid or support kidnapping activities.
In September 2026, four men were sentenced to death by a special criminal court in Edo State 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 the June 14, 2026 abduction and related offences.
Okpebholo had previously vowed to sign the death warrants of convicted kidnappers who failed to appeal their sentences within the stipulated 30-day period.
His administration also established a special criminal court to fast-track the prosecution of kidnapping and cultism cases as part of efforts to tackle insecurity in the state.
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