Security operatives in Edo State have dismantled five suspected kidnapper camps in Edo North Senatorial District following a coordinated bush-combing operation.
The exercise, carried out by the State’s Special Security Squad, codenamed ‘Operation Flush Out Cultists and Kidnappers’, took place in Ekeke Erah Forest in Owan East Local Government Area.
The operation was coordinated by the principal security officer to the governor in collaboration with the army, local vigilante groups, and other sister security agencies.
Operatives reportedly trekked nearly five kilometers into the forest between Afuze and Ora, where the camps were uncovered and destroyed.
A member of the squad, Mr. Eribo Ewanta, said signs of recent activity suggested the sites were still in active use.
“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.
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“This confirms the presence of suspected kidnappers in this area,” Ewanta said.
He disclosed that the operation escalated into an exchange of gunfire at a riverbank as suspected kidnappers attempted to evade capture.
The team also found evidence of cattle grazing, raising suspicions of a link to armed herders.
“We engaged the suspects in a gun duel, but they escaped deeper into the forest.
“Their camps have been dismantled and destroyed. Edo State will no longer provide safe haven for criminal elements,” Ewanta stated.
He assured residents that the operation was part of a sustained effort to flush out kidnappers and other violent groups from the state, while commending Governor Monday Okpebholo for his resolve to strengthen security and restore public confidence.
