Residents of Ekpoma, headquarters of Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, on Saturday staged a mass protest against the rising wave of kidnapping and insecurity ravaging the community and surrounding areas.
The protesters, made up largely of youths, marched through major streets of the town, calling on the Edo State Government and relevant security agencies to urgently intervene and rescue the community from what they described as daily attacks by kidnappers.
According to the protesters, the persistent abductions have instilled fear among residents and disrupted economic and social activities in the area.
Reacting to the situation, some concerned citizens blamed the worsening insecurity on poor community vigilance and internal compromise.
One resident said negligence within the community had contributed to the crisis, alleging that unchecked migration and poor regulation of informal jobs had made Ekpoma vulnerable.
“When you are careless about your community, this is what you get. The last time I came home, I was dumbfounded by the number of people from the North occupying major areas in Ekpoma. If you are looking for okada riders, bricklayers, or farm workers, they are everywhere. Before the intervention of the governor, the king and his chiefs should sanitize the town by separating the goat from the sheep,” the resident said.
Another resident alleged collaboration between criminals and locals.
“Some indigenes are involved in the kidnapping. They are now working with the Fulani criminals. It’s a pity. I think the youths will have to help themselves,” the resident alleged.
Others, however, placed responsibility squarely on the state government, accusing it of failing to live up to campaign promises on security.
“Didn’t he promise to tackle insecurity during his campaign? Have we not been seeing insecurity everywhere in Edo since then? So why the lamentation now? It is painful that Edo State has deteriorated to this level. There is wahala everywhere, no peace in the state,” a protester said.
Another protester, speaking emotionally, lamented what he described as widespread bloodshed across the state.
“The blood of the innocent is crying out from the soil of Edo. From Auchi to Igarra, our people are being slaughtered and kidnapped while the government remains silent. We did not vote for a graveyard; we voted for a home. It is time for the governor and security agencies to wake up and fulfill their primary duty of protecting lives. Enough is enough,” he said.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official response from security agencies regarding the protest.
