EKPOMA, EDO STATE – Residents of Ekpoma and surrounding communities in Esan West Local Government Area are currently living in a state of heightened fear following reports of a daring shift in the operations of kidnap syndicates.
Information made available to the secretariat of the Standard _Daily _Press at Olele Junction, Auchi, suggests that kidnappers have moved beyond highway ambushes, now allegedly breaking into private residences to abduct victims.
Midnight Terror
The latest incident, which reportedly occurred last night, was captured in a viral video showing the aftermath of a violent home invasion. According to local sources, the gunmen bypassed community security measures, forcing their way into a residence and whisking away occupants to an unknown destination.
A spokesperson for the forum’s secretariat noted that the frequency and audacity of these home invasions have taken a “disturbing turn,” leaving families feeling vulnerable even within the safety of their locked doors.
A Pattern of Insecurity
This development comes on the heels of several weeks of unrest in Ekpoma. Just earlier this month, the town was rocked by violent protests following the killing of a youth and a string of abductions that paralyzed the Benin-Auchi highway.
While the Edo State Police Command, under CP Monday Agbonika, recently overhauled the Ekpoma Division and deployed a new Divisional Police Officer (DPO) to restore order, these new reports of residential abductions suggest that the criminal elements are adapting their tactics to evade increased patrols on the main roads.
Call for Urgent Action
The forum is calling on the Edo State Government and the Police Command to focus on neighborhood surveillance rather than just highway presence; strengthen the synergy between the police and local hunters/vigilante groups who know the inner streets.
As of Sunday morning, January 25, 2026, the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Eno Ikoedem, has not issued a formal statement on last night’s specific invasion, but security sources indicate that operatives have been drafted to the general area to investigate the claims.
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