Olelo Community in Owan East Local Government Area of Edo has rejected claims associating it with the recent spate of kidnapping incidents in the area.
The Youth Coordinator, Mr Jolly Igharo, in a statement on behalf of the community made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday, said the allegations were misleading and unfairly damaging to the community’s reputation.
According to Igharo, the community’s forest has been taken advantage of by outsiders who use it as a hideout to carry out criminal activities.
He noted that indigenes of Olelo were themselves victims of the insecurity and were not involved in any way.
“There is nothing linking Olelo people to kidnapping. What is happening is that outsiders are coming into our forest to perpetrate their evil acts.
