The Commissioner of Police in Edo State, CP Monday Agbonika, has revealed that one of the major challenges faced by the police in tackling kidnapping in the state is the use of hostages as human shields by kidnappers.
Agbonika made this disclosure during a press briefing on Wednesday to mark his first month in office.
He noted that while the police continue to make significant strides in combating crime, the safety of hostages often complicates direct engagements with kidnappers.
“Whenever kidnappers take hostages and we go after them, we find it difficult to fire at them because they use their victims as human shields. Meanwhile, they can fire at our officers freely,” Agbonika said.
Despite these challenges, the police command has rescued seven kidnapped victims and arrested 12 suspected kidnappers within the past month, most of whom have reportedly confessed to the crime. In addition, the police have arrested 95 suspected cultists, who have since been charged to court.
The commissioner also reported the recovery of 25 firearms, including two AK-47 rifles, a Lar Mark rifle, three English pistols, one Beretta pistol, and four single-barrel guns. A total of 130 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and 135 live cartridges were also seized, along with four stolen or robbed vehicles, cash, and an iPhone 16 Plus.
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To strengthen crime prevention, CP Agbonika said the police are adopting proactive strategies, including technology-based solutions for tracking criminals, community engagement, and increased surveillance.
“We are working on introducing technological assistance in tracking these kidnappers without harming their victims. We want to be proactive to ensure that kidnapping does not take place at all,” he stated.
He also emphasized collaboration with the Edo State Government to reform the local vigilante groups, ensuring they operate strictly within their communities and enhance security in forested areas.
The commissioner reaffirmed the command’s commitment to ongoing bush combing operations, intelligence-led raids, and high-visibility policing to curb crime and maintain law and order across the state.