,,,,,,Suspects confess ownership of properties,execute kidnapping through out the state.
The Edo State Government has begun demolishing properties suspected of being used as hideouts by criminal gangs in a bold move to clamp down on rising kidnapping activities.
Our correspondent gathered that the operation, conducted across Illeh in the Esan West Local Government Area and Uromi in the Esan North East Local Government Area, follows a series of successful police raids aimed at breaking up the state’s growing crime syndicates.
Leading the demolition efforts, Mr. Akhere Paul, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, stated that the action was in line with Edo’s new laws targeting kidnappers and their collaborators.
“These houses have been used for nefarious activities, particularly as holding locations for kidnapped victims,” Paul said, referencing the recent police raid in which dangerous weapons were seized.
Paul reminded landlords in the state to be diligent when screening potential tenants, emphasizing that any property found to facilitate kidnapping would face demolition under the state’s newly passed anti-kidnapping law.
“This exercise is not just a punitive measure; it serves as a clear warning to others that the government will not tolerate criminal activity.
“We are committed to ensuring that Edo remains safe for all residents,”he warned.
Speaking with journalists,he said that the crackdown on the identified criminal hideouts is a direct response to a surge in kidnapping incidents that have terrorized the state’s communities, particularly in the Edo Central region.
According to him,furing the raid, two suspects, Utubor Uchenna and Felix Ebama, both members of a seven-man kidnapping gang, identified the properties as their operational bases.
Uchenna, the gang leader, admitted to orchestrating a number of high-profile abductions, including one in which victims were released after a ransom of N10 million was paid.
He explained that their last victim had been targeted due to the luxury car he drove.
“We marked him for kidnapping because of his car,” Uchenna confessed, adding that both he and his accomplice had been involved in multiple similar operations across the state.
He said that the state’s security forces have made significant progress in their efforts to dismantle the kidnapping networks.
“This operation is just one part of a larger, ongoing effort to eradicate crime from our communities. We urge all Edo citizens to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the authorities. Together, we can ensure that our state remains a safe and secure place for all,” SP Michael Anetor, Commander of the Special Task Force said.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
