ESOA Week Day 3: Security Chiefs, Health, Media Experts Harp On Synergy To Drive Edo Development.

ESOA Week Day 3: Security Chiefs, Health, Media Experts Harp On Synergy To Drive Edo Development.

…As EFCC, Police, NDLEA, Specialist Hospital, EBS Restate Commitment To SHINE Agenda

The third day of the 2026 Edo State Orientation Agency, ESOA, Week on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, featured a robust panel discussion with heads of security, health and media institutions in Edo State, focusing on how their agencies are strengthening development and supporting the SHINE Agenda of Governor Monday Okpebholo.

The session, held at the Sir Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub, Airport Road, Benin City, had in attendance Special Assistants across the 18 Local Government Councils, civil society groups, and government functionaries.

Panelists at the event were Mr. Williams Oseghale, Assistant Commandant, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Benin Zonal Directorate; CP Patrick Daaor, Commissioner of Police, Edo State Police Command; Dr. Anthonia Inibokun Njoku, Medical Director, Edo Specialist Hospital, Benin City; Commander Mitchell Ofoyeju PhD, Edo State Commander, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA; and Dr. Festus Alenkhe, Managing Director, Edo Broadcasting Service, EBS, and Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Edo State Council.

Speaking during the panel, CP Patrick Daaor said the Police Command has strengthened its community policing strategy and is working closely with local vigilantes and other sister agencies to tackle cultism, kidnapping and armed robbery in the state. He noted that the recent successes in bursting kidnapping rings, including the Vegetable Market kidnap case, and the demolition of cult-related buildings in Ewatto, Esan South East and other parts of Edo Central, were products of intelligence sharing and community ownership.

He urged Special Assistants to be security ambassadors in their councils by reporting suspicious movements and sensitizing youths against cultism.

On his part, Assistant Commandant Williams Oseghale of the EFCC said economic development cannot happen without financial discipline. He said the EFCC is not just about arresting people, but about preventing financial leakages that cripple development.

Oseghale disclosed that the Commission is collaborating with Edo State Government to monitor contracts, prevent ghost workers, and ensure that public funds meant for SHINE Agenda projects are properly utilized. He tasked political appointees on transparency and warned against diversion of public resources.

Commander Mitchell Ofoyeju PhD, NDLEA Commander, linked drug abuse to insecurity and underdevelopment. He said over 80% of cult clashes and violent crimes in Edo are drug-related.

He revealed that NDLEA in Edo has seized over 10,000kg of cannabis and other hard drugs in the last year and has rehabilitated over 200 youths. He said the Agency is supporting the SHINE Agenda through its War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization in schools in Benin, Auchi, Ekpoma and Uromi, and called on Special Assistants to help take the anti-drug campaign to their local governments.

Dr. Anthonia Inibokun Njoku, MD, Edo Specialist Hospital, said health is the foundation of development. She said a sick population cannot drive economy.

Dr. Njoku stated that Edo Specialist Hospital has been repositioned under Governor Okpebholo to provide affordable specialist care, including advanced diagnostics, surgery and maternal care. She said the hospital is supporting SHINE Agenda by reducing medical tourism and ensuring civil servants and rural dwellers can access quality healthcare without travelling to Lagos or abroad. She urged appointees to sensitize citizens on early hospital presentation and enrollment in Edo Health Insurance Scheme.

Dr. Festus Alenkhe, MD, EBS and Chairman NUJ, said no development can be sustained without effective information management. He said EBS has been repositioned to project government policies and also give voice to citizens.

Alenkhe said the media is key to the SHINE Agenda as it holds government accountable and educates citizens. He tasked Special Assistants to be factual, defend government with truth, and avoid propaganda. He also urged them to build good relationship with journalists at local government level.

The panel session ended with an interactive question and answer segment where Special Assistants asked questions on insecurity in Edo North, drug abuse in schools, access to health care and fake news.

Responding, the Director-General of ESOA, Mr. Maleke Idowu Monye, said the essence of bringing all agencies together is to show that development is interlinked.

According to him, “EFCC secures our commonwealth, Police secures our lives, NDLEA secures our future from drugs, Specialist Hospital secures our health, and EBS secures our information. All are needed to achieve SHINE.”

He said a new Edo is possible when institutions work together with one message, one government