Security operatives in Edo State have dismantled five suspected kidnappers’ camps in Edo North following a coordinated operation that led to a gun battle deep inside Ekeke Erah Forest, Owan East Local Government Area.
The exercise, carried out by the Special Security Squad codenamed Operation Flush Out Cultists and Kidnappers, was coordinated by the Principal Security Officer to the Governor in collaboration with the Nigerian Army, local vigilante groups, and other security agencies.
Operatives reportedly trekked nearly five kilometers into the forest between Afuze and Ora before uncovering and destroying the camps. Signs of recent activity, including a fire still burning and food left on the fire, suggested that the suspects fled shortly before the raid.
A member of the squad, Eribo Ewanta, told reporters after the six-hour operation that the team encountered armed resistance at a riverbank.
“We engaged the suspects in a heavy exchange of gunfire, but they escaped deeper into the forest. Nevertheless, their camps have been destroyed. Edo State will no longer provide safe haven for criminal elements,” Ewanta said.
The squad also reported evidence of cattle grazing in the forest, raising suspicions of possible links between the camps and armed herdsmen.
Ewanta assured residents that the operation was only the beginning of wider efforts to eliminate kidnapping and other violent crimes across the state. He said security forces remained “battle ready” and would pursue criminal groups until they were brought to justice.
He also commended Governor Monday Okpebholo for his commitment to strengthening security, noting that the administration’s coordinated security approach was restoring public confidence and sending a clear warning to criminal networks.
