Residents of Akwanga Local Government Area of Nasarawa State have called on the state government to check the rampant cases of kidnapping and rape in the area.
Gunmen had recently kidnapped a popular traditional herbalist in the area, Dr. Dennis Nakowa, and was later found dead in Gudi in Akwanga.
Some of the residents who spoke with NAN urged government to provide a 24-hour security patrol in the entire state to curb criminal activities.
One of the residents, Mr. Sunday Taka, described the level of insecurity in the area as worrisome.
Taka urged the police and other security agencies in the state to beef up their patrol to secure lives and property.
“The incessant armed robbery attacks, kidnapping, rape across communities in the state is worrisome not only to the residents of Akwanga, but to the people of the entire state.
“The activities of these criminals are adversely affecting our socio-economic development.
“Apart from stealing people’s property, farm produce, harassment and killing of people, at times they even go to farms to rape women who are doing their farming activities,’’ he said.
Taka said that gunmen had also kidnapped a herbalist popularly known as Dr Nakowa, in Moroa, an area close to Akwanga.
“They killed one of his aides who tried to resist them and the body of the herbalist was later found.
“The rate of kidnapping, rape and other crimes in the state is increasing daily,” he said.
He called on the people of the area to be security conscious and to report any suspicious movement to the appropriate authorities for necessary action.
Another resident, Mrs Laraba Akaga, said the situation had created fear in the minds of people of the area, especially women.
The Commissioner of police in the state, Abubakar Sadiq-Bello, urged the people of the area to be providing the police with information that would assist them to effectively tackle the menace.
Sadiq-Bello also called for more logistic support to the police such as patrol vehicles, to enable them to achieve the objective. (NAN)
