As part of measures to curb insecurity, the Edo State Government says it will soon issue its own independent Identity Cards to residents across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.
The State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, disclosed this while addressing stakeholders at a security meeting held in Auchi, Etsako West LGA of the state.
His words; “We are launching the Edo State Resident Identification System. Every resident in Edo must have an identity card. The identity card will be linked to the Biometric Verification Number so that we know who is who.
“With this, if anything happens, we can follow up. We are not saying that we will not accept visitors. We are not saying that we are going to send people away, but if you must live with us, we must know you.
“We must have the addresses of all the markets in our local government areas. The idea of markets just erupting in people’s houses and without them being registered must stop. All such markets must be closed. The laws specified how markets can be set up.
“If there is a fire incident tomorrow, we can’t even get there. People will be shouting that we have lost our goods, and because we didn’t register that place as a market, we are unable to provide the facilities like water and all the things you need for people to trade there.”
Obaseki continued, “These markets never seem to close. Are markets not supposed to close? Don’t they have a closing and opening time? But these markets never close. People live there. Investigations carried out by security personnel show that all sorts of things happen there when these markets are supposed to have closed.”
“We will have to close down all unregistered markets. If you want a place as a market, the local government council must do the needful and also provide them with relevant facilities for a proper market,” the governor noted.
In his contribution, the Olokpe of Okpe Kingdom in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo, His Royal Highness, Oba Idogu III, commended the governor for his prompt intervention in tackling insecurity in the state.
Also speaking, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Deke Kanoba, the Egiegbai II of Ekperi kingdom, in Etsako Central Local Government Area of the state, urged security personnel to cooperate with vigilante groups in providing security in rural areas.
