The Edo State Government has intensified its crackdown on kidnapping and other criminal activities with the demolition of illegal structures and shanties identified as hideouts for suspected kidnappers along the Okpella–Okene Expressway.
The exercise, carried out under the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo, targeted makeshift structures located around the Obu/Oguda/Bua Cement axis, which intelligence reports and security investigations had uncovered as operational bases for criminal gangs. Findings indicated that the area was allegedly used to hold abducted victims before ransom negotiations and payments were concluded.
The axis has for years been notorious among residents and motorists as a haven for hardened criminals, with several previous attempts to dislodge them reportedly unsuccessful, making it a major security concern for the state government.
However, on December 20, 2025, at about 9:30 a.m., the Edo State Government, through coordinated security planning and enforcement, successfully pulled down the illegal structures, restoring a measure of safety and confidence in the area.
The demolition was executed by the Edo State Development and Building Control Agency, under the supervision of a Town Planning Officer, Mr. Williams Ovenseri, who led the removal of the illegal shanties allegedly used by the suspected criminals.
During the operation, the suspects reportedly resisted security personnel by blocking the Okpella–Okene Expressway at the Obu/Oguda/Bua Cement axis and allegedly using human shields. Despite the resistance, security agencies maintained control and ensured the successful completion of the exercise.
The operation was led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Edo State Command, DCP Benjamin Abang, who coordinated a combined team of police officers and personnel of the Nigerian Army. The exercise was concluded without casualties or recorded incidents.
Following the demolition, the area—once a hotspot for kidnappings and attacks on motorists—has remained relatively calm, with security agencies sustaining surveillance to prevent any resurgence of criminal activities.
The successful operation underscores the Okpebholo administration’s resolve to dismantle criminal networks and ensure the safety of lives and property across Edo State.
