In a determined show of force, the Edo State Government has launched a sweeping offensive against kidnappers and criminal gangs hiding in forested regions across the state. Code-named Operation Flush Out Cultists and Kidnappers, the mission is being led by the state’s Special Security Squad under the close supervision of the Chief Security Officer and the Governor’s Principal Security Officer.
The recent phase of the operation saw security operatives comb through dense forests across Ovia North-East, Esan North-East, Esan West, and Esan South-East Local Government Areas. Special focus was placed on the Benin–Akure Road corridor a notorious stretch where a number of passengers from a local transport company, New Edo Line, were recently abducted.
During the raids, the squad uncovered two locally made double-barrel firearms and live ammunition in remote communities such as Osa-Somba and Idunwingie. These discoveries, officials noted, underscore the growing use of improvised weapon stockpiles by kidnappers operating in the region.
Further into Ugboha forest, operatives stumbled upon what appeared to be abandoned camps structures believed to have served as temporary bases for kidnapping operations. According to squad member Eribo Emwanta, these hideouts reinforce the need for sustained surveillance and forest patrols to keep criminals on the run. He emphasized that the operations would not be a one-off mission but part of a long-term campaign, personally monitored by Governor Okpebholo himself.
Idemudia Noah, a senior official involved in the operation, revealed that the state is deploying advanced technology, including drone surveillance and real-time intelligence gathering. He explained that the campaign was triggered in part by urgent distress calls from Ugboha residents reporting a series of kidnappings.
“This administration has drawn a line in the sand,” Noah said. “Edo will not be a safe haven for criminals. We are taking this fight directly to them into the forests, into their camps until they have nowhere left to hide.”
Community leaders have welcomed the campaign, praising the state’s firm stance. The Okhighele of Eko-Ekpeti, Mr. Osaro Ehiozomwangie, alongside local resident Mr. Ighodaro Michael, expressed gratitude for the Governor’s direct involvement and emphasized the need for sustained logistical support to empower local efforts. They described the intervention as both timely and necessary, saying communities had been overwhelmed and hunters outmatched by the growing sophistication of criminal gangs.
The momentum of the operation extended beyond the initial bush combing. Security teams also conducted show-of-force patrols through several communities, including Sobe, Ozalla, Iruekpen, Ekpoma, Ihunmudumu, Irrua, Idumu Ojiezua, Ivue/Obeidu, and Arue-Uromi. These movements, according to officials, serve to not only disrupt criminal activities but also reassure residents that the state is fully committed to restoring peace and order.
Although no suspects have been arrested so far, authorities insist the crackdown has already yielded strategic results by dismantling potential kidnapper bases and preventing future attacks. With a combined force of police, military, and local security operatives trekking deep into the forests, the mission is far from over.
This is just the beginning,” one operative said. “They may have run, but we’re closing in.
