Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has told the people of Omuma Local Government Area  to collaborate with security agencies in the area to fish out criminals in their midst and get reward for it

Governor Amaechi, who gave the charge, Monday, during a town hall meeting with the people of the LGA at Eberi, said more security operatives would be deployed to the area to check the spate of criminal activities in that axis of the state.

The governor promised a reward of N10 million to the people if their collaboration would lead to the apprehension of 50 kidnappers, while the sum of N2 million awaits them if they aid the arrest of 30 kidnappers.

The State Chief Executive, who advised them to undertake a house-to-house identification of criminals, particularly kidnappers, and their informants and collaborators, stressed that no kidnap operation would be successful without an insider.

Amaechi  emphasised that the only way to stamp out the” trend of hostage taking in the LGA is to get the people of the area involved in the search for criminal elements”.

Consequently, he appealed to the communities to resolve their differences and choose who occupies the vacant stool of Onye-Isi-Agwuru for government recognition to enable him take part in the

house-to-house search for kidnappers in the area.

He used the opportunity to inform those aspiring for the position of Onye-Isi-Agwuru that Government of Rivers State  would not decide who became their ruler but would recognize anyone approved by them.

Amaechi advised that the process of getting one should be given urgent attention to enable them occupy their position in the state Council of Traditional Rulers.

The governor assured that government owed them the responsibility of protecting lives and property, and blamed the delay in completion of some government projects in the area on the incessant cases of kidnapping as well as harassment of workers on site.

According to him, with the new approach, all the contractors that abandoned their project sites in the area would return before the end of the month to complete the projects and enumerated some of the programmes of government which the people of the local government had benefitted.

Responding to a question on the 2011 elections, the governor explained that the state government had not and would not endorse any candidate for any elective position, but noted that the only way to appreciate any public officer that had performed well would be to give him a second opportunity to serve them.

Also speaking, the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Magnus Abe said the town hall meeting was initiated by Governor Amaechi as a deliberate attempt for him to interact with the people at the grassroots and urged the people to avail themselves of the opportunity to bare their minds on issues bothering them.

Earlier, the Chairman of Omuma Local Government Council, Mr John Anucha had commended Governor Amaechi for completing the Eberi-Owaza-Ofeh Road and the construction of model primary schools across the LGA.

He said the council had provided electricity to a lot of communities in the area, adding that the greatest challenge facing the area was insecurity as a result of activities of kidnappers from the neighbouring Abia State.

A statement signed by the Acting Chief Press Secretary to the Rivers State Governor, Mr Blessing Wikina said all Permanent Secretaries, Directors and Assistant Directors in all ministries as well as Rectors, Provost Vice Chancellors and heads of state -owned institutions and parastatals are invited to an urgent meeting in Government House, today at 8.30am.