The Mid-West Bar Forum (MWBF), the umbrella body of lawyers practising in both Edo and Delta States, has urged the Edo State Government to adhere to the rule of law in dealing with matters of crime.

The MWBF stated that while it condemns all acts of criminality, including cultism and kidnapping and urges security agencies to arrest and prosecute any person involved in such crimes, the rule of law must be applied.

The forum made the resolution in a communique signed by its chairman, Kunle Edun (SAN) and secretary, Kelly O. Ogbe, respectively, during its quarterly meeting on July 5, 2025, at the NBA Benin branch Bar House.

“The Forum urges the Edo State Government to exercise extreme restraint in the indiscriminate demolition of buildings allegedly used in connection with cultism and kidnapping.

“Every Nigerian has a constitutional right to a fair hearing and ought to be subjected to criminal trial and a conviction obtained before his building would be confiscated by the Government, as expressly provided by Section 5 of the Edo State Kidnapping Prohibition (Amendment) Law, 2025.

“To this end, the MWBF resolved to set up a Litigation Committee to challenge any violation of the constitutional rights of citizens and residents of Edo State under the guise of implementing the provisions of Edo State Kidnapping Prohibition (Amendment) Law, 2025.

“The MWBF insists that the Edo State Government must comply strictly with the provisions of its laws,” the group declared.

They also expressed dissatisfaction with the state of the roads in both Edo and Delta States, particularly the Benin-Warri highway, the Benin-Auchi highway and the Benin-Asaba highway.

The Forum noted that these roads are in a serious dilapidated state and are now death traps.

Lawyers, they said, now find it challenging to attend courts in Benin City, Warri, and Asaba, and in some cases have to farm out their cases to colleagues residing in those cities, due to the poor roads.

“The MWBF appeals to the Minister of Works to provide palliative measures on the aforementioned roads during this rainy season to alleviate the suffering of motorists pending full rehabilitation of the roads,” they pleaded.

They also commended the NBA Warri branch for challenging the impunity of revenue agents on the public roads and obtaining a High Court Judgment prohibiting revenue agents from being on public roads in Delta State.

The group called on the Police, the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Police Command and other security agencies in the state to ensure that criminal elements posing as revenue agents/collectors for the Delta State Government are flushed out of public roads and arrested.

This measure, they said, is necessary as the Delta State Government Revenue Office has, since the judgment, withdrawn all its revenue agents/collectors from public roads and has distanced itself from these criminal elements who are still posing as revenue agents/collectors on public roads.

In addition, they condemned the practice of Police in Delta and Edo demanding money before accepting petitions from lawyers and called on the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioners of Police of both Edo and Delta States to call their officers to order and ensure that this aberration is stopped immediately.