Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has assured the Igbo community and other Nigerians doing business in the state that the security of their lives and property was guaranteed.
This assurance followed an alarm raised by an Igbo group alerting of high rate of kidnapping of Igbo traders in Benue state, particularly in Gboko Local government.
The Governor said his Government had taken proactive measures to tackle the pockets of kidnapping incidents and the efforts had put criminals on their heels.
He pointed out that the state’s legislation which prohibits kidnapping and cultism was in force, and those who violate the law and their sponsors would be made to face the consequences.
The Governor re-emphasized the resolve of his administration not to surrender the state to criminals, and stressed that the clampdown on hoodlums had intensified.
He allayed the fears of business people in the state and urged them not to be discouraged to consider shutting down their investments.
Governor Ortom said government was doing everything within its powers to ensure that no criminal went unpunished.
In a press statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, Ortom called on Benue people to support security operatives in intelligence gathering to enable them nip criminalities in the bud.