Governor Okpebholo Dismisses Youth Aide Following Arrest

Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has announced the termination of Collins Aigbogun’s appointment as Special Adviser on Youth Mobilization. The decision comes on the heels of Aigbogun’s arrest and ongoing detention by police authorities in connection with recent violent unrest in the university town of Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area.

The dismissal was formalized through a statement issued on Friday, January 16, 2026, by the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilor. According to government sources, Aigbogun—who previously served as the Chairman of Esan West—was taken into custody after a state-ordered probe linked him to a “coordinated riot” that allegedly hijacked an anti-kidnapping protest.

While the demonstrations originally began as a public outcry against the rising spate of abductions in the region, Governor Okpebholo characterized the escalation into arson and vandalism as a “well-organized riot.” The governor further alleged that the violence was fueled by foreign funding, specifically citing a Nigerian resident in Russia as a sponsor of the destabilization efforts.

In a swift move to fill the vacancy, the governor has appointed Christopher Udobor Iyase as the new Special Adviser on Youth Mobilization. Iyase is described by the administration as a dedicated youth leader with a proven track record of advocacy for the welfare and development of young people. His immediate priority will be to restore structured engagement with youth groups under the state’s five-point “SHINE” Agenda.

Amidst these administrative changes, Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa has spoken out against what he terms “online smear campaigns” aimed at creating a rift between him and his principal. In a strongly worded statement, Idahosa dismissed rumors of a internal friction as “dead on arrival,” asserting that his loyalty to Governor Okpebholo remains as solid as the “Rock of Gibraltar.”

Idahosa advised political detractors to redirect their energy toward supporting the administration’s primary pillars of Security, Healthcare, Infrastructure, Natural Resources (Agriculture), and Education. He emphasized that the government remains laser-focused on its security architecture, which recently saw the enactment of a death penalty law for convicted kidnappers and the demolition of suspected criminal hideouts across the state.

The government reiterated that while it respects the fundamental right to peaceful protest, it will not tolerate actions that undermine public order or damage private property. The arrest and subsequent sacking of a high-ranking aide signal a “zero-tolerance” policy toward any official involvement in civil unrest, as the administration moves to stabilize the security situation in Esan West and beyond.

With peace gradually returning to Ekpoma, the focus of the new youth leadership under Iyase will likely center on intelligence coordination and community-policing partnerships. The state government has urged residents to remain calm and report suspicious movements to the newly restructured Edo State Security Corps, as investigations into the Ekpoma riots continue to unfold.