Residents import, harbour herders, terrorists for kidnapping – Edo Govt alleges

The Edo State Government has alleged that some residents are harbouring herders and suspected terrorists in their houses for kidnappings in the state.

DAILY POST reports that Festus Ebea, Commissioner for Public Safety and Security, made the claim on Wednesday at a press briefing organised by the State Ministry of Information and Strategy.

Ebea alleged that the suspects now “rear human beings as if they are rearing animals”.

He said some of those behind the harbouring of the herders and terrorists have been arrested including the suspects and accomplices.

He alleged that suspected kidnappers who were arrested confessed to how they were brought in and housed in the state.

“Unfortunately from our security lenses we have found out that some of our people now keep herders and the terrorists in their houses and point out to them where there is business to do.

“Some suspects are at the station having been arrested, both the accomplices and the kidnappers themselves confessed to how they were brought in and housed.

“Of course when they take people they take them into the bush and begin to “rear human beings as if they are rearing cows,” he said.

Ebea, who was a former Deputy Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, also disclosed that the state government would be recruiting 1,000 forest guards.

He said 500 of the forest guards that have already been recruited are currently undergoing training at the Police Training School, Benin City, while plans are underway for the recruitment of an additional 500 in line with the directive of President Bola Tinubu.

He said the forest guards would be in the hotspot areas in Edo state.

“But special attention is given to local government areas like Etsako East, Etsako where some communities have witnessed the influx and the attack in the bushes of those neighbouring states like Kogi, Kwara, and Ondo.

“In Etsako West we have the Igbira camp. We have the Akoko Edo where we have so many mineral deposits and of course, Etsako East where we have huge numbers of those being taken by these criminal elements.

“We equally have the Ovia North-East and Ovia South-West local governments where they equally have people who come from the other end and use the water to infiltrate and take some of our members of the Edo community away.

“We are working towards ensuring that we beef up the figures of the forest guard who will now be in the bush and secure our farmers, secure our bushes and equally make sure that the bushes are unsafe for those elements,” he added.

Residents import, harbour herders, terrorists for kidnapping – Edo Govt alleges