Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has demanded the immediate arrest of Ese Kakor, the president of the Neo Black Movement (NBM), following allegations of forgery and unlawful activity.
In a statement issued by his spokesman, Fred Itua, the governor accused Kakor of forging official documents which purportedly authorized him to undertake school-related initiatives in the Edo South senatorial district.
The alleged forgery, Mr Okpebholo stated, was a criminal act orchestrated in collaboration with certain junior civil servants, who have since been identified, detained, and placed under police investigation.
Describing the incident as a “fraudulent attack on the administrative integrity of the state,” Governor Okpebholo emphasized that no one, regardless of their position or affiliation, would be allowed to undermine the rule of law in Edo.
“The state will not tolerate any form of deception or subversion of our governance structures. Those involved will face the full weight of the law,” the governor declared.
In a further move against the group, Governor Okpebholo announced the revocation of land titles previously granted to NBM for use as its headquarters.
He cited intelligence linking the group to violent and criminal activities across the state as grounds for the action.
He also called on the police and the State Security Service (SSS) to intensify efforts in dismantling networks of criminal gangs and enforcing justice without delay.
The government’s stance marks a significant escalation in its crackdown on groups suspected of unlawful operations and signals a renewed commitment to restoring public trust and security in Edo State.
