Barely 24 hours after the passage of the Edo State Kidnapping Prohibition Law, 2025, which approved a death penalty for kidnappers, the State House of Assembly, on Wednesday, called for the transfer of police officers who have spent more than five years in a particular station in the state.

The House explained that the appeal was informed by the need to stem the tide of kidnapping and other criminal activities in Edo and also requested the heads of various communities in the state who reside in the Benin metropolis to move back to their communities and provide leadership.

These formed part of the House?s resolutions after consideration of an urgent matter of public importance moved by the member representing APC Esan Southeast, Sunny Ojiezele, during plenary on Wednesday in Benin.

Moving the motion, Ojiezele noted that there was palpable fear and tension in Esan Southeast, adding that the people had been put under duress by kidnappers who operated openly during the day and at night.

He noted that Esan Southeast?s sons and daughters who came home to establish small-scale businesses were now being targeted and kidnapped on a daily basis.

?Many of them have been killed as they could not meet up with the financial demand of the kidnappers and sometimes their body parts sold to buyers.

?Business activities are at their lowest ebb as people cannot go to their respective business places, and there is increasing hardship in the area,? Ojiezele said.

In his consequential motion, Ojiezele called on the State Government to mobilise various security agencies to comb the entire forests in Esan land to flush out these kidnappers.

He also called on the State Commissioner of Police to transfer any policeman who has served more than five years in any station or locality in Edo and urged all traditional rulers to reside within their domain to provide leadership.

Other lawmakers who took turns sympathised with the people of Esan Southeast and called on their colleagues in the national assembly to draw the federal government?s attention to the alarming kidnapping cases in Edo.

Similarly, the Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA), on Wednesday, sacked all political appointees hired by the 24 lawmakers of the 8th Assembly.

The Nigerian Tribune reports that the sacked appointees are Special Advisers and Senior Special Advisers among others.

The Speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku, who disclosed this at plenary, said the sack takes immediate effect.

While noting that the sacked aides would be paid February salary, Hon. Agbebaku said the decision was collectively taken by the 24 lawmakers.

He explained that the appointees were appointed by the members of the 8th assembly on the assumption of office in June 2023.

?Upon our resumption as members of this house, some aides were appointed, and members of the various constituencies sent their nominees for appointment.

?It is two years now, and, I think the house has graciously agreed that those sets of appointees, SAs and SSAs, are hereby relieved of their appointments today, February 19, 2025.

He said the house will meet to know the next line of action to take on that, adding that ?they should receive this month?s February 2025 salary.? (Nigerian Tribune)

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