The Edo State Police Command says it has rescued 37 kidnapped victims, including the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Esan West Local Government Area, in a series of operations across the state.
The Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, disclosed this in Benin on Wednesday during a press briefing to showcase his achievements within 30 days of assumption of duty in Edo.
According to him, the victims were rescued without the payment of ransom through coordinated intelligence-led operations.
Agbonika said that the PDP chairman, abducted on April 15 while working on his farm in Emu Forest, was rescued on May 7 after days of intense pursuit by the police and allied security agencies.
”;These 37 rescues are a direct result of collaborative bush-combing operations involving the military, Air Force, civil defense, local hunters, and vigilantes,”; he said.
The police boss also said that within his first 30 days in office, the command had recovered 25 firearms, including two AK-47 rifles, and arrested 12 suspected kidnappers and 95 robbery suspects.
Other items recovered, he said, include 165 rounds of live ammunition, a Mercedes-Benz GLK 300, a Toyota Hilux truck, a Toyota Highlander, motorcycles, and N115,000 cash.
The commissioner emphasised that community engagements and stakeholders’ collaboration remained central to the command’s approach in addressing insecurity.
On farmer-herder tensions in parts of the state, Agbonika admitted that the situation was delicate but manageable, stressing the need for deliberate efforts to rebuild trust between farmers and pastoralists.
”;We are reforming the vigilante structure to ensure that local security outfits operate only within their communities and with proper oversight,”; he said.
He also cautioned against the illegal possession of firearms, warning that all unauthorised weapons would be confiscated, regardless of the bearer’s status.
He commended the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and Gov. Monday Okpebholo for their continued support, assuring residents that the command would not relent until all criminal networks in Edo were dismantled.
