The Oba Ewuare II has directed traditional and community leaders across Edo South to establish structured local security groups as part of renewed efforts to strengthen grassroots safety within the Benin Kingdom.
The directive was issued on Tuesday, June 24, 2026, during a meeting at the Benin Royal Palace in Benin City, where representatives of the Ekhaighele from all seven local government areas in Edo State were received as part of ongoing consultations on community security coordination.
At the meeting, the Oba instructed the Okhaighele (community heads) across Edo South to set up community-based security teams consisting of five to ten able-bodied men selected from each locality to support surveillance and intelligence gathering within their domains.
The monarch said the initiative was designed to improve vigilance at the community level and complement existing formal security structures operating in Edo State.
The directive was conveyed to the Ekhaighele through Chief Akenuwa of Benin, a palace official who delivered the Oba’s message and supervised the communication of the new security arrangement to community leaders.
Following the royal instruction, the Ekhaighele were mandated to compile lists of selected individuals from their communities and forward them to the appropriate palace authorities for coordination and documentation.
The submitted lists are expected to be transmitted to the Chief Ima Iyase, who has been appointed to oversee and coordinate the emerging community security structure across the kingdom.
According to palace communications, the selected men will serve as grassroots watchers, assisting in monitoring movement within communities and reporting suspicious activity to relevant authorities.
The initiative reflects growing concern among traditional institutions over rising security challenges affecting parts of Edo State and other regions in southern Nigeria.
Community-based security arrangements have increasingly been adopted in several Nigerian states as supplementary systems to formal policing, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas.
The Oba emphasized that the programme is intended to promote peace, stability, and early detection of security threats through closer community engagement.
He stressed that traditional institutions must continue to play active roles in maintaining order and safeguarding lives and property within their jurisdictions.
The palace described the initiative as part of a broader “Omo N’Oba Security Engagement,” aimed at sustaining long-term peace through collaboration between traditional leadership and local communities.
Community leaders present at the meeting reportedly welcomed the initiative, describing it as a timely intervention in addressing emerging security concerns.
One of the representatives expressed gratitude to the monarch, noting that the engagement demonstrates continued commitment by the Benin throne to the welfare and safety of its people.
The palace reiterated that the security framework will be a continuous process, with periodic reviews and engagement sessions to assess its effectiveness and operational challenges.
Security analysts note that traditional rulers in Nigeria have increasingly become key stakeholders in local security coordination due to their influence and proximity to grassroots communities.
The latest directive from the Benin monarch is expected to strengthen community surveillance networks while enhancing cooperation between residents and formal security agencies.
For now, palace authorities say the focus will be on proper selection, documentation, and coordination of the newly formed community security groups across Edo South.
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