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Gov Okpebholo
The Edo State government on Wednesday said it has recruited 500 forest guards to secure the state’s forest and farmlands from Kidnappers and Banditry.
The government added that additional 500 personnel would be added to the recruitment list soon in line with a directive from the National Security Adviser to Bola Tinubu.
The state Commissioner for Public Security and Safety, Festus Ebea, disclosed this in Benin during a joint press briefing with the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Kassim Afegbua, and that of Commissioner for Transportation, Saturday Uwuilekhue.
According to Ebea, the 1,000 forest guards offices would be situated in Edo forests with special attention to forests in bordering states of Kogi, Ondo, Deltan and some special areas in Etsako and Akoko-Edo where there are lots of mineral resources are.
He said: “These guards offices will be in the bushes of Edo State. Based on the area, special attention is given to some neighboring communities where we have the influx and attacks in the bushes of neighboring states like Kogi, Ondo.
“We are also paying special attention to some local government such as Akoko-Edo where you have so much of mineral deposits, and of course Etsako East and Etsako West where we have the Igbera camp. And the two Ovia where we have people from the other end who use the water ways to infiltrate and take residents of the state hostage. Of course every part of the state would be captured.”
He added: “On Saturday, I received a call from the presidency that Edo should increase its number from 500 to 1000, and we are implementing that soon.
On his part, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Afegbua, while reacting to criticism on concentration of many projects in the governor’s hometown, said: “That particular axis, because it’s neighboring closely with Delta State, and essentially, you know, occupying a very large expanse of uninhabited land, kidnapping became so rampant in that place, so, we needed to generate activity. And that was part of the reason and the rationale for putting a barrack in that place, to checkmate all of that, and also put school of nursing and health technology.
“So, by the time activities are taking off in that area, then, the issue of kidnapping would be a thing of the past. And we are achieving that result already. So, I just needed to give that clarification.
Speaking about his ministry, Uwuilekhue said the state government had procured. Additional 50 buses to the existing 100 buses of New Edo Line to ease residents of Edo inter-state mobility. (The Guardian)
