Edo State security forces have dealt a major blow to criminal networks in the state, dismantling five suspected kidnapper camps deep inside Ekeke Erah Forest, Owan East Local Government Area.
The raid, conducted under the state’s Special Security Squad codenamed Operation Flush Out Cultists and Kidnappers, was a joint operation involving the Nigerian Army, vigilantes, and other sister agencies.
According to the team’s report, the operatives trekked almost five kilometers into the dense forest between Afuze and Ora before uncovering the camps.
“We discovered five camps with fresh signs of activity. Firewood was still burning, and food was left on the fire when we arrived,”
said Eribo Ewanta, a member of the squad.
The mission escalated into a fierce gun battle at a riverbank when suspected kidnappers, alerted to the raid, attempted to escape. Though the criminals fled deeper into the bush, their hideouts were destroyed. Evidence of cattle grazing in the forest also raised suspicion that the camps were linked to armed herders.
Ewanta vowed that the crackdown was only the beginning:
“We engaged the suspects in a serious gun duel, but they escaped. Still, we are on their trail. Edo State will no longer provide safe haven for criminal elements. The directive of the Governor is clear — Edo must be free of criminals, and we will pursue them relentlessly.”
The squad commended Governor Monday Okpebholo’s commitment to security, stressing that his strategy is restoring confidence among Edo citizens.
“The Governor’s resolve is unwavering. The people are beginning to see that Edo is no longer a playground for kidnappers and cultists,” Ewanta added.
Edo Security Forces Raid Forests, Dismantle Five Kidnappers’ Camps in Owan East
