The Edo State High Court, Criminal Court 2, has ruled that some of the young people who were part of the protest that shook the Ekpoma region of the state be held at the Ubiaja Correctional Centre.
Channels TV said that this happened after the prosecution asked for a 14-day remand period.
Our reporter saw that several of the demonstrators and their family members who were at the court cried as the people who had been arrested were put into a car that was waiting for them.
Last weekend, angry young people in the Esan West Local Government Area town protested against the rise in kidnappings and other types of crime.
A viral video shows several people in the Edo Central part of the state denouncing the rise in kidnappings and murders.
The video also showed several persons, who police think are cattle breeders, running away from a market when they saw some demonstrators.
Police said the protest was taken over.
The police stated they quickly stepped in to restore public safety and peace after the protest was “hijacked.”
It said in a statement yesterday that when the protest started on Saturday, the Area Commander, Ekpoma, quickly called in police officers and worked with other security agencies to make sure the protest stayed peaceful, orderly, and within the law.
“Unfortunately, the protest was taken over, and all the rules for peaceful protest were broken. This led to things like malicious damage, property theft, shop vandalism, and even a soldier firing a gun at a protester,” said the statement signed by Police Public Relations Officer ASP Eno Ikoedem.
In response to the sudden rise in violence, the Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Agbonika, fdc, quickly sent more tactical reinforcements from the State Command Headquarters in Benin to Ekpoma to restore public order, maintain operational control, and stop the situation from getting worse.
It added that by coordinating deployments, strategically placing personnel, and using professional crowd control tactics, normalcy was quickly restored in all the impacted regions.
The police also said that they had arrested those who had committed “violence, vandalism, and looting” and were still looking into the matter to make sure that everyone who was responsible was brought to justice.
Teen Shot
The statement says that CP Monday Agbonika, the Commissioner of Police, went to see a man named Osagie Abraham, who is 32 years old and was shot during the protest. He is now getting medical care at a medical center in Ekpoma.
“He has ordered a full and rapid investigation of the event.
“Meanwhile, the military personnel involved in the shooting have been identified, and the right military authorities have been formally notified so that they can take the necessary administrative and disciplinary action in accordance with established protocols.
CP Monday Agbonika, the Commissioner of Police, said again that it is the right of residents to protest peacefully and voice their complaints.
It went on to say, “But these kinds of protests must always be done peacefully, responsibly, and without violating the rights, safety, or property of other people.”
In response to residents’ worries about the rise in kidnappings, the Commissioner of Police assured the public that the Edo State Police Command was stepping up intelligence-led operations, strategic patrols, and targeted tactical interventions to put an end to kidnappings across Edo State, including Ekpoma.
Lack of safety
Some people in Edo are worried about the Fulani herders who are claimed to have moved into communities and attacked civilians.
Aigbokhan Oseremen, the Convener of the Esan Worldwide Community, has asked the Edo State Government to make sure that people from other places get permission before moving into communities.
Oseremen said in an interview with Channels Television today, “This is what the government should do, and they should start doing it now. Anyone who wants to live in our villages or bushes should have a permit, and those people should be watched.”
The head of the EWC also said that “many” of the ranchers are “real terrorists.”
“The government also needs to make sure that people know who the Fulani herders are, so that people don’t just live in an area without knowing who they are. A lot of them are true terrorists.
But the government of the state stated it would take care of the problem soon.
“The answer is easy: find out where they are in the forest and get them out of there. Technology-driven strategies are being put into place, and we will soon see the end of these things,” said Bugie Okhuemoi, the Special Adviser to Governor Monday Okpebholo on Media and Publicity, on Channels Television on Monday.
“There are significant plans in place and on the ground that will be put into action very shortly. They have already been turned on, but we will see the effect very soon, he said.
There Is No Hiding Place for Criminals
The Edo State government has also promised the people of the state that it will keep their lives and property safe.
Senator Monday Okpebholo said this in response to growing public concerns about safety. He said that strong actions are already having an effect in the fight against kidnapping, cultism, and other crimes.
He claimed that his government has spent a lot of money on new security equipment, acquiring intelligence, and working together with other agencies to fight crime directly.
The governor said that the problem of kidnapping is being taken very seriously and strategically, and that security operations are still going on all around the state.
He said that security issues were sensitive and not always good for public discourse since talking about them too soon could hurt how well they worked.
“This government will not let criminals or their backers take Edo State hostage.” People who are involved in kidnapping, cultism, or any other kind of crime will be found and punished. There would be no place for criminals to hide, he said in a statement from his Chief Press Secretary, Patrick Ebojele, on Sunday.
Governor Okpebholo said again that he is determined to win the fight against crime and bring enduring peace to all of Edo State. He asked citizens to help security services by giving them relevant information and not hiding criminals in their areas.
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