The Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has approved the establishment of a Special Security Squad aimed at flushing out kidnappers and cultists terrorising parts of the state in a bid to address the rising wave of insecurity.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, the security arrangement code-named Operation Flush Out Kidnappers and Cultists is a strategic initiative by the Office of the Principal Security Officer to the Governor and will be coordinated jointly with the Chief Security Officer at the Government House.
The squad will consist of a carefully profiled and recruited team of able-bodied men, including repentant cultists, hunters and vigilantes.
The recruits are expected to form local squads within each local Government Area, ensuring community involvement and swift operational response to security threats.
Since the assumption of office, Governor Okpebholo has made security a top priority, with one of his earlier declarations being an offer of amnesty and reintegration to repentant cultists.
With the development, security agencies have now been placed on red alert in Benin City, Ekpoma, Auchi, and their environs, which have recorded high incidences of daylight abductions, cult-related killings and extortion by criminal gangs.
The new Operation is coming with high hopes of a collaboration of citizens, security agencies and community leaders to reclaim the streets from the grip of criminal elements.
