Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State on Monday pledged N5 million reward for any credible information that would lead to the arrest of kidnappers in any part of the state.
Wada, who made the pledge when he visited the state police command headquarters in Lokoja, said his government would not pay ransom to kidnappers to release their victims, but instead encourage people to be vigilant and help with credible information.
The governor expressed concern over the increase in cases of kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes in the state, adding that government would not succumb to pressure from criminals.
“The current wave of crime cannot distract us. Very soon, we will flush them (criminals) out of the state,” he said.
Wada announced a donation of five Hilux pick-up vans to the police to help them in the renewed onslaught against criminal activities and also promised to donate N2.4 million to the families of 12 policemen that lost their lives in the course of duty, from January to May.
The governor commended all the policemen in the state for doing a good job and appealed to the people to assist security agents with useful information that could lead to the arrest of criminals in the state.
Wada also thanked the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, for the deployment of 350 additional anti-riot policemen to the state police command.
In his remarks, the state Commissioner of Police, Adeyemi Ogunjemilusi, thanked Wada for his moral, financial and logistic supports to the command.
Ogunjemulusi refuted speculations that Justice Samuel Obayomi, who was kidnapped on May 25, had been killed by his abductors.
He said the police was doing its best to rescue him, warning members of the public against spreading false information about the security situation of the state.
NAN.