Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
The inhabitants of Erah Community in Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State have called on the state government and the security agencies in the state to help rid their forest of kidnappers to help boost food productions in the area.
The appeal was contained in a statement signed by Mr. Abu Momodu, the secretary to the Palace of Udale of Erah Land and made available to journalists in Benin.
He decried that Erah Forest has been taken over by suspected criminals which they use as den of crimes and criminalities; kidnappings; and ransoms taking.
Mr. Momodu also accused the suspected criminals of destruction of farms; threats to farming and farmers; and lives and properties.
He recalled that the community had on several occasions raised serious, alarm and appealed for assistance to flush out the suspected criminals and destroy their bases deep inside the forest.
He said that the series of appeals became more urgent following the tragic and gruesome killings of some of the three of the indigenes between 2024 and 2025 by suspected kidnappers.
According to him, “These appeals became even more urgent following the tragic and gruesome killings of our sons: Edeki Ighalo in 2024 and Victor Ogedengbe in 2025 and Abdullahi in 2025, whose only offence was that they were the coordinators and members of Erah Vigilante who were securing Land against criminals and criminalities.”
He maintained that several other persons have been kidnapped and taken to the same forests, further lamenting that despite these distressing incidents, timely and adequate intervention has remained insufficient.
He said that there’s an urgent need for the government and the relevant security agencies to act quickly and tackle the security challenges in the community as the planting season is about to begin.
