Deputy Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Maria Oligbi-Edeko, yesterday, raised the alarm over increasing rate of kidnapping in Uromi and Uzea communities in Esan North-East Council of the state. Edeko urged the state government to procure drones for surveillance of the troubled areas to curb the resurging kidnapping menace.
    
The alarm was raised in a matter of urgent public importance, which was co-sponsored by the deputy Speaker, (Esan North-East Constituency II), Donald Okogbe and nine others on the floor of the House.
    
Moving the motion, Oligbi-Edeko, and co-chief sponsors of the motion, noted, with dismay, the resurgence of kidnappings in Uromi and Uzea communities.
   
The deputy Speaker stated that the activities of these criminals had made life difficult for people of the areas, as they could no longer go to their farms and carry out their daily commercial activities.
   
According to her, some armed gunmen have been adopting people in different parts of Uromi in the past few weeks, making them live in fear, while closing up their businesses earlier than usual.

She said: “My people are under siege in Uromi and environs. Some people were reportedly kidnapped at various times and locations in the community by armed gunmen. They were only released after seven days in captivity, while others have not been released.
   
Meanwhile, a governorship aspirant under the platform of the Labour Party (LP), Ogbemudia Osagie, has pledged to tackle insecurity ravaging communities in the state if elected.
    
Ogbemudia spoke in Benin City, the state capital, during an interactive session with the leadership of the party, ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in the state.