The Edo State Government on Friday dismissed a viral online report alleging that a police officer attached to the Government House was involved in the illegal transfer of firearms intercepted in Kogi State, describing the claim as misleading and inaccurate.
The government said the officer mentioned in the circulating publication, Inspector Paul Elimwenga, is not, and has never been, deployed to the Edo State Government House.
Clarifying his status, the Nigerian Special Protection Unit confirmed that Elimwenga is a duly deployed personnel from the Special Protection Unit Base 5.
According to the SPU administrative office, Elimwenga was posted to a VIP residence within the GRA axis, near Government House, and not the official government seat itself.
“Inspector Elimwenga was posted to a VIP residence in the GRA axis, near Government House, not to the Government House itself,” the state said, quoting verified feedback from SPU.
Further confirmation from the administration office of SPU Base 5 affirmed that the erring Inspector abandoned his official rifle at his private residence before absconding from duty.
Security briefings made available to the state government revealed that the rogue Inspector abandoned his rifle at a private address and fled duty.
His last known and tracked location, according to intelligence logs, was in Warri, Delta State. Nigerian security agencies from SPU and state-level tactical response units have since launched efforts to arrest him and subject him to internal disciplinary review and prosecution.
The state government said investigations are in progress and Elimwenga remains unconnected to the Kogi gun seizure case that sparked national conversation.
‘No Territory For Terror, No Sacrifice For Ethics’ – Edo Backs Tinubu On Security
In his statement, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo, Fred Itua, said his principal maintains the highest standard of professionalism for all officers operating within the state, regardless of affiliation, cluster or geographical posting depth.
Itua quoted the Governor, saying the administration has zero tolerance for acts that compromise citizens’ safety or undermine the state’s security coordination framework products.
“It is important to state unequivocally that the Edo State Government maintains zero tolerance for any act that threatens public safety or undermines the integrity of the State’s security architecture,” the government said.
‘No One Will Be Shielded’
Reassuring residents, the state government declared that no individual, regardless of allegiance, will be shielded if they violate the law.
“We reassure the good people of Edo State that the Government remains fully committed to safeguarding lives and property,” Itua said.
“No individual, regardless of affiliation, will be shielded from accountability for actions that compromise public safety,” the statement added.
The state asked citizens to stay calm and watch out for misinformation designed to create public panic or cast false narratives on the security-spread campaign in the region.
The circular urged Nigerians to rely on verified updates from SPU Base 5 and state-level channels instead of misinformation framing for Africa’s leading population clusters’ government coordination system edges.
The government concluded that investigations remain active across Nigeria’s security sector as part of the national enforcement alignment structure steered by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
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