Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
The Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, has declared state-wide crackdown on criminals beginning on Monday.
It would be recalled that the state had witnessed the rising spate of insecurity occasioned by the activities of armed bandits, cultists, kidnappers and armed robbers.
Ortom who disclosed this at a thanksgiving service organised in his honour by the Nongov Community Development Association at the NKST Church Agasha, said after dealing with the spiritual challenges, it was time to go physical with criminal elements in the state.
He added that a combined task force comprising the military, police, Civil Defence, as well as other security agencies would be engaged to apprehend criminal from their hideouts to face sanctions.
The governor stated that the objective of the crackdown would be to restore peace to troubled areas particularly in the Sankera, Gboko, Kwande and other places across the state so that economic and other activities could be restored.
The governor stated that after the one- week prayer and fasting programme organised in conjunction with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), against evil in the state, it was time to match faith with works, stressing that faith without work is dead.
While noting that God had heard the prayers of the people in times past, the governor assured that God has heard the prayers of the state this time too and would assist in the fight against crime.
Ortom who enjoined the people to make peace with one another, stressed that the time for politicking was over even as he reiterated his call on others who contested elections against him to team up with him for the development of the state.
Governor Ortom commended the Nongov community for turning out in large numbers to vote for his re-election and assured them that he was ready to prove at the election tribunal that the votes he got were genuine.
In his sermon, Reverend Thomas Chieve, enjoined Christians to imbibe thanksgiving which he said is pleasing to God.