It is known that the war against men of the underworld is a continuous battle that the government is saddled to fight. It seems like the government is gaining an upper hand in the fight as recently the Edo State Police Commissioner, Mr Foluso Adebanjo, paraded 32 suspected robbers and kidnappers in Benin City, while parading them, he reiterated his call to criminals and cultists to leave the state or be “crushed,” just as he solicited the cooperation of members of the public to give useful information to the police.
While hailing the ban on Okada in the state capital, the CP said about 90 per cent of crimes being committed in the state were carried out with motorcycles.
He said the suspects were arrested in different locations in the state with cache of arms, including AK47 riffle, two AK 47 rifle magazines, 23 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, two Magnum pump action guns, one English-made cut to size double barrel gun and 107 live cartridges, adding that the kidnappers among them were involved in the abduction of some foreigners and members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers few weeks ago who were arrested in their hideouts.
Insisting that the ban on commercial motorcycles will help check the excesses of criminals in the state, Adebanjo said “the ban on Okada is a very good thing and for security purposes. A lot of crimes being committed in Benin City are bike-related. They use bike to rob people, kill people and even cultists use bikes to operate.
“So we have no fear that the ban on Okada will increase crime, we are fully prepared to take care of that. These people arrested failed to heed to my earlier call that they should repent or face the fire power of the police. We are going to charge them to court. I am also advising others to repent or leave the state because we will not tolerate cultism, killings and robbery in Edo State.”