Monday Okpebholo, governor of Edo, says he would sign the death penalty for kidnappers even if his relatives are involved.

Speaking on Monday in Benin, Okpebholo said his administration will not spare anyone found guilty of kidnapping in the state.

“I pray our brothers are not involved because I would sign you too. In any case, my father, I would sign you,” the governor said.

“The truth is this: we just have to get some bad elements out of the system, for the system to stand.

“And because somebody would die… but these people are killing people, and many people are being killed.”

The governor recounted the experience of Edo state’s chief judge, whose hand he said was severed by kidnappers.

“Even our chief judge, if you see our chief judge, one of his hands was cut off by kidnappers. But a few days ago I asked my attorney-general what happened,” he said.

“I’ve been waiting for the paper. He said they appealed. But we’ll still follow them up on the appeal.

“We won’t just leave them to go like that. So we’ll get to wherever they stop. We’ll take them from there.

“We will not spare anybody. If I see this paper today, now, I will sign it, and I will even survive the killing.”

In February 2025, Edo state approved the implementation of the Kidnapping Prohibition (Amendment) Law, 2025, which introduced the death penalty for kidnapping offences resulting in the death of victims.

In September 2026, the Edo state special criminal court sentenced four persons to death over the abduction of a woman at Vegetable Market, along Airport Road, in Benin City, Edo state.

Aigbona Momodu, the trial judge, on Tuesday convicted the four defendants on an 11-count charge bordering on kidnapping, conspiracy, armed robbery, cultism and unlawful possession of firearms.

The defendants are Marvellous Isaac, Wisdom Michael, Rufus Emete Michael, and Gift Raphael.

The abduction of the victim took place on June 14, 2026.