Security operatives in Edo State have uncovered and
destroyed five suspected kidnapper camps during a coordinated operation
between Afuze and Ora in Owan axis.
The operation, which lasted six hours, was led by the Principal
Security Officer (PSO) to Governor Monday Okpebholo in collaboration with
the Nigerian Army, local vigilante groups, and other security agencies.
Camps in Active Use
According to Eribo Ewanta, a member of the
squad, the team trekked nearly five kilometers into the forest where they
discovered the camps. Signs of recent activity—including food still cooking
over fire—confirmed that the hideouts were actively used by criminal elements.
“We discovered five camps, with clear indications that
their occupants had only just fled. We found fire still burning and a pot of
food left on the fire,” Ewanta said.
Gunfire Exchange and Escape
The exercise escalated when the suspected kidnappers,
apparently alerted to the security presence, engaged the operatives in a gun
duel near a riverbank. The suspects eventually fled deeper into the forest,
leaving behind evidence of cattle grazing, raising suspicion of links to armed
herdsmen.
“We engaged the suspects in a serious gun duel, but
they escaped. Their camps have been dismantled and destroyed. Edo State will no
longer provide safe haven for criminal elements,” Ewanta stated.
Ongoing Security Drive
Ewanta assured residents that the raid marked the
beginning of sustained operations aimed at flushing kidnappers and
violent groups from the state.
“The Governor’s directive is clear: Edo must be free
of criminal elements. We will pursue them relentlessly until they are
apprehended,” he added.
He further commended Governor Okpebholo for his
unwavering resolve to fortify security, stressing that the
administration’s coordinated approach is restoring public confidence and
sending a strong warning to criminal networks.
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