The state government on Friday invaded a key kidnapper hideaway in the Edo Central Senatorial District’s Esan North-East Local Government Area as part of an ongoing attempt to stop kidnapping in Edo State.
During the operation, the task force removed dense shrubs and abandoned buildings along the kidnapper-used Uzea-Itakpe railway track. The Task Force against Kidnapping spearheaded the exercise, which sought to boost visibility for increased security surveillance and eradicate criminal hideouts.
The region is a well-known transit hub for kidnappers who operate along the railway axis, Esan woods, and portions of Etsako West, according to Mr. Akhere Paul, Special Advisor to the Governor on Security. He clarified that before moving their victims, robbers utilized the deserted buildings as makeshift detention facilities.
“If they kidnap people here, they bring them to this hideout, rest, and then move them to other locations, including Itakpe in Kogi State and Ama Community in Etsako West. This area has been a hotspot for kidnappings, affecting both the wealthy and poor, including farmers who use this route. As a government, we will not rest until kidnapping is eradicated in Edo State,” he said.
Commander of the Task Force, SP Michael Anetor, emphasized that intelligence reports and recent arrests informed the demolition exercise.
“The DPO covering this area and the local government authorities have investigated, and our findings confirm that this location is a strategic point for kidnappers. They ambush victims, and if moving them immediately is not feasible, they hold them here before proceeding. These abandoned houses and dense trees serve as their operational base,” Anetor explained.
In order to reestablish safety in the neighborhood, he also gave locals his word that security forces will continue to crack down on criminal elements.
Some locals, who wished to remain nameless, acknowledged that the deserted buildings and overgrown plants had long been used as hiding places by criminals, who used them to observe possible victims before attacking.
