Edo Security Forces Dismantle Five Kidnapper Camps In Edo North
Edo State’s Special Security Squad, codenamed Operation Flush Out Cultists and Kidnappers, has destroyed five suspected kidnapper camps in Owan East Local Government Area after a fierce gun battle in the forest.
The six-hour operation, coordinated by the Principal Security Officer to Governor Monday Okpebholo, was carried out in collaboration with the Nigerian Army, local vigilantes, and other security agencies.
Operatives trekked nearly five kilometres into Ekeke Erah forest, between Afuze and Ora, where they uncovered the hideouts.
According to Squad member Eribo Ewanta, fires were still burning and food was left on the stove, confirming the camps were in active use.
The raid later escalated into heavy gunfire at a riverbank as suspected kidnappers, apparently alerted to the incursion, attempted to escape.
“We engaged the suspects in a serious gun duel, but they fled deeper into the forest. Their camps have been dismantled and destroyed. Edo will no longer provide safe haven for criminal elements,” Ewanta said.
He assured residents that the operation was only the beginning of sustained efforts to rid the state of kidnappers and armed groups.
Governor Okpebholo was praised for his firm stance on security, with officials noting that his coordinated strategy is restoring public confidence and sending a strong warning to criminals.
