OPINION - Behind the CCTV and Public Execution of Kidnappers in Edo state - By Eubaldus Enahoro

When we were growing up in the village, there was this game called hide and seek, which  most people played in their prime.

At the point of locating the playmate hiding place,  the game abruptly comes to an end. In Edo State today, the game is over and there would be no more  hiding places for criminals and Kidnappers looking for where to carry out their enterprise. 

It is now  obvious that the machineries put in place by the Governor Monday Okpebholo led administration to make the state safe are yielding fruit.

The collaboration between the state government and security agencies have been robust because the Governor is not resting to ensure that the state is safe and secure for everyone.

 But regrettably, issues of security are over emphasized with lies and fake news to destroy the image of the state and the country in general 

In the words of the Commissioner for Security and Public Safety, Hon Festus Ebea , Edo State is working as far as security is concerned.

According to him during a ministerial press briefing in Benin city recently, " what you hear are the negative stories while the successes are not heard, that is why people think Edo which is one of the most secured states in the country is not safe.

"As of today, not less than 300 members of the Edo state security corps, ESSC are in each of the local government areas to complement other security agencies to curb activities of Kidnappers.

"The National Security Adviser, through the President, Senator Bola Tinubu employed 500 forest guards to be in the bushes. The President further gave a directive that Edo state should boost up the figure to one thousand to make the bushes unsafe for the criminals.

Meanwhile, after the CCTV footage of the adoption of  the woman along the vegetable market in the GRA went viral, I had this strong feeling that the days of those behind  the crime are numbered, especially with the swift response of the Governor who gave a matching order to the security agencies to rescue the victim 

Before we could digest the crime scene from the CCTV,  the owner of the red car used for the kidnapping and others were apprehended by the security agencies, apparently due to intelligence reports 

The challenge of insecurity is not unique to Edo because Nigeria is facing a national security crisis. 

But what happens in Edo matters deeply here at home. The question now is not just “how bad is it?” but “how do we stop it

However, the viral CCTV clips of the vegetable market incident,  reminds us that security is everybody's business and we should be ready to give  tips through phone lines and WhatsApp channels to security agencies.

Everyone  should close the gap between “see something” and “say something, ” and the Commissioner for Security and Safety has volunteered to give out his phone number for prompt response to any information that will assist the security agencies.- 07066753477, and the number of the ESSN Commander, CSP Richard Balogun- 07030222478

It must be noted that residents must trust that their information won’t be leaked, and their identity not revealed. Without that trust, criminals will continue to operate

In addition to Edo State Government support to security agencies,  investment in the acquisition of CCTV should be considered for flashpoints across the state.

We need  cameras that never sleep, a tracker that never lies, a database that connects cases across LGAs — that changes the odds to win this war against these criminals

With that kind of recording that we saw that Sunday, the owner of the CCTV deserves commendation

Governor  Okpebholo’s administration  has been funding, equipping, and coordinating security agencies and he has  received series of ovation from high ranking officers of the security agencies 

But the truth is that the government alone cannot do it. Every Edo citizen has a part. Verify before you share unverified videos that spread panic. Report suspicious movement. 

To stop  the kidnapping wave will not take one miracle raid. It will take intelligence from communities, technology that works,  justice that is swift and that is what Governor Okpebholo has done with the  law on  kidnapping

Edo State has one of the toughest anti-kidnapping laws in Nigeria right now called the Edo State Kidnapping Prohibition Law

The Edo State House of Assembly passed the Edo State Kidnapping Prohibition Law, 2025 in February 2025. This is the law in force today 

Any  Convicted kidnapper now face capital punishment/death sentence and the Governor has stated he will sign death warrants for convicted kidnappers.

Any property, movable or immovable, used for kidnapping will be confiscated and demolished by the government and vigilante offices will be built on confiscated lands.

The law also includes compelling someone through threats/deceit into confinement, even without traditional hostage-taking,

and  anyone who receives, offers, or facilitates ransom payment can be prosecuted. Possessing property bought with ransom money is also an offence.

The law mandates confidentiality for witnesses and victims to protect them from reprisals during prosecution. 

It would be recalled that before 2025, the Edo State Kidnapping Prohibition Law, 2013 prescribed life imprisonment for kidnappers and confiscation of property used for the crime.  

But the 2025 amendment increased the penalty from life imprisonment to death sentence and the Governor has declared that : “I take the issue of insecurity seriously and will not bend the rules but apply them strictly… We will bring kidnappers to the public and execute them to show our seriousness."