Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has warned kidnappers and other criminals and their sponsors to relocate from the state or face the full wrath of the law.
Bello who was speaking against the backdrop of incessant kidnaping and other criminal activities, said there is no hiding place for criminals in the state.
The governor gave the waning at government house, while receiving four units of mobile policemen and 32 members of Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) and a helicopter deployed by the Inspector General of police, Mr. Solomon Arase, to rid the state of the high rise in the activities of the hoodlums.
Operational Commander of SARS, Eseile Irioge, Deputy Superintendent of Police, while speaking on behalf of the Squad said his members have arrested a number of suspected kidnappers in the state.
“We have busted about three hideouts of the kidnappers den and as soon as we are getting them, we are hitting down the place. So far so good we have a very good number of kidnappers in our hands that are leading us to get to the others,” he said.
Irioge called for support from Kogi residents, saying “with your cooperation, we are going to give you the best.”
The governor said: “The state government is ever ready to give all the necessary support to the security agents in the state to assist in tackling the menace of kidnapping.
“In my inauguration speech, I vowed to have a state where citizens will sleep with their two eyes closed, where people will do their legitimate business with out hindrance, where travellers will pass through the state without any harassment or molestation by any criminal.
“But in recent time the increase in crime wave is worrisome and as a result of that, I cried to the President of this country and the Inspector General of Police and today we are receiving four units of mobile policemen from the IG of police, including special anti robbery squad and a helicopter. These men will face the criminals squarely until they bring them to their knees”.
The governor who assured the security agents of his total support in the fight against criminality in the state, said his administration would not spare any body who aid and abate criminal activities in the state.
