The security situation in Benin, Edo state capital, has
taken a turn for the worse following an increase in cases of cult-related
killings, kidnapping and armed robbery.
No fewer than 30 people are said to have been killed in
cult-related killings within the past week.
The cult-related killings, mostly linked to clashes between
rival vikings and aye confraternities, have heightened the fears of the
residents in different parts of Benin.
Three more persons were reportedly killed on Sunday by
suspected cultists with dead bodies littering different parts of the city.
Violence had broken out during the #EndSARS protest in the
state. There was also a jailbreak at two correctional centres in the state and
about 1993 inmates were reportedly released by hoodlums.
Some persons also lost their lives during the protests. Properties
were vandalised and carted away while about eight police stations were razed
and their armouries reportedly looted.
Owing to the chaos, the state government declared a 24-hour
curfew on October 19 but it was later reviewed to 10pm till 6am on November 3.
Nightlife in the capital city has since ground to a halt as
incidents of kidnappings and armed robbery have escalated.
Some of these hotspots include Upper Sakponba axis in
Ikpoba-Okha Council; Ogida Quarters in Egor Council; New Benin by Constain
junction; Erediauwa axis; Satana market on Benin-Ore-Sapele road; Y-junction,
Nomayo; Ogida Barrack and Isihor quarter.
An assistant commissioner of police (ACP) in charge of the
area command and two other senior police officers were also reportedly shot
last Wednesday at Murtala Muhammed Way, close to Third East Circular road
junction.
The state police have called for information from the public
that will help recover arms and ammunition looted from police stations.
Babatunde Kokumo, the state commissioner of police, said the
attack on police facilities, burning of police stations and patrol vehicles
during the #EndSARS protests have affected their operations.
But Kokumo assured residents that the police will gradually
resume work at their duty posts to check the escalating crime in the state.
According to him, in Upper Sokponba, three police facilities
were burnt down displacing the DPOs and other police officers in these
divisions.
“These officers now report at the state command
headquarters, we now send them on patrol from there so you should expect some
hitches, but we will continue to work and get things right,” he said.
“The EndSARS
protests, which were hijacked by hoodlums, have actually impacted negatively on
police operations and unleashed attacks on police facilities.
“How do you expect, where 200o inmates escaped, for things
to be normal? We were doing our best to arrest the criminals in Edo before the
jailbreak and we are equally trying our best now to see that the escapees are
re-arrested and brought to book.
“All these arms and ammunition were carted away under the
eyes of some people, some people are having information about these and they
are not giving us the information, let those who have such information give us
so that we can go after them.”
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com