Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has linked the recent rise in kidnappings across Nigeria to a deliberate political scheme aimed at weakening President Bola Tinubu.

He argued that the same playbook was used during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan and claimed it was successful at the time. However, he expressed confidence that the tactic will not work against Tinubu.

The governor’s comments come amid a renewed wave of abductions blamed on bandits in several parts of the country. In November, armed men stormed the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Oke Isegun, in the Eruku area of Kwara State and kidnapped worshippers during a church service. In another incident, about 10 people were seized by gunmen in the Biresawa and Tsundu communities of Tsanyawa Local Government Area in Kano State.

Addressing Igbo leaders at the Government House in Benin City, Okpebholo insisted that the kidnappings are not random acts of crime but are calculated moves driven by political interests.

“What they are doing now is that they will go and kidnap people just because they want to discourage Mr President but he is resolute. They are kidnapping people because somebody wants to win an election, it’s not fair. They did this to Goodluck Jonathan and they succeeded, but we know their trick already.”