Edo Residents Accused of Aiding Kidnappers by Commissioner Festus Ebea

The Edo State Commissioner for Public Safety and Security, Festus Ebea, has made a startling revelation about the state's security situation. According to him, certain individuals in the state are capitalizing on the country's security challenges to bring in external criminal elements for the purpose of kidnapping and other violent crimes. This disclosure was made during the monthly briefing organized by the Ministry of Information and Strategy in Benin on Wednesday. The commissioner further alleged that some residents are harbouring herdsmen under the guise of assisting them with cattle rearing, only to later utilize them for kidnapping operations. As he put it, 'From our security perspective, we have discovered that some of our youths are now housing herdsmen and terrorists in their homes and pointing out potential kidnapping targets to them.' This comes as residents in nearby Ogun communities have fled their homes following the killing of six people in a foiled abduction attempt, while the police in Abuja recently foiled a kidnapping attempt and rescued five residents. In a related development, the Kogi state government has vowed to ensure justice for the families of three residents killed by bandits. Commissioner Ebea stated that some suspects apprehended by security agencies have confessed to being brought into the state by local accomplices. The arrested accomplices and kidnappers have also confessed to how they were housed and later used for kidnapping, with the victims being taken into the bush like cattle. To address the insecurity, the state has deployed 500 forest guards who are currently undergoing training to secure the forests across the state. The Federal Government has also approved an additional 500 personnel, bringing the total to 1,000. Furthermore, the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo has engaged 300 members of the Edo State Security Corps in each of the 18 local government areas, totaling 5,400 personnel, to strengthen the state's security architecture.