The Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Hon. Chris Nehikhare has said the government is leveraging its community information-sharing channels to track the activities of the abductors who kidnapped persons at the Igueben Train Station in the State.
He added that security agencies are intensifying efforts to rescue the remaining victims of the train station attack in Igueben Local Government Area.
The commissioner disclosed this during a press conference on Wednesday in Benin City, the State capital.
He said at the meeting held by the Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu with heads of security agencies and traditional rulers, the deputy governor tasked the traditional rulers and the village heads to secure their communities against criminal activities.
“Before now, we had established protocols with village heads, delineating their roles in our rural areas especially in the communities. We have reminded them of their responsibilities which include the identification of strangers within their communities which also means that they are supposed to have a surveillance team,” he noted.
According to him, “At the meeting, the deputy governor also told them the consequences of harbouring kidnappers and terrorists. The consequences include the property used in harbouring criminals will be forfeited to the state government and destroyed. If at any point those that are found using these facilities are found to have murdered any of their captive, the owners of that property will be charged and prosecuted along with the perpetrators of the crime.”
“These rules have worked for us in the past. I’m sure you remember how it worked in Edo North sometime last year.”
The commissioner also disclosed that apart from reminding the traditional rulers of their roles, the Deputy Governor also tasked them to increase surveillance and also report to government when they observe anything untoward in their communities.