Bugie Okhuemoi, Special Assistant to Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo on Media and Publicity, has stated that the key to tackling the surge in insecurity across the state is to locate kidnappers hiding in forests and dislodge them.

Okhuemoi made the remarks on Monday during an interview on The Morning Brief, a programme on Channels Television monitored by DAILY POST, while discussing security challenges in the Ekpoma area.

“Insecurity is not new; it is the fallout of banditry spreading from the North into the South,” he said. “The Okene-Lokoja axis has become a hotspot for kidnapping and banditry. These criminals operate through forests where boundaries are unclear, making them highly mobile.”

The governor’s aide explained that serious strategies have been put in place, many of which are already active but not publicly discussed due to operational sensitivity. “The solution is simple: identify where the kidnappers are in the forest and dislodge them. Technology-driven strategies are being implemented, and very soon we’ll see results,” he added.

Okhuemoi emphasized that while insecurity remains a national challenge, Edo State’s approach focuses on precise, intelligence-led interventions to restore peace and safety to affected communities.