Delta State Governor Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan has expressed concern over the delay in the trial of kidnap suspects explaining that such delay has the danger of being counter-productive to the battle against kidnapping.

Dr Uduaghan who said this when Judges in the State led by the Chief Judge, Justice Abiodun Smith paid him a courtesy call in Asaba, appealed to the Judiciary to cooperate with other stakeholders and speed up the trial of kidnap suspects.

He said the slow speed with which kidnap suspects were being tried has increased the tempo and emboldened kidnap criminals who now strike anywhere and at any time.

According to the Governor, kidnappers are vicious and mindless and not only strike at will but exhibit such force that anybody could become a victim.

His words “there is no sacred cow in the face of kidnap suspects. They strike at will, so whether you are in the Judiciary arm, Legislative or even the Executive, you can be a victim of kidnap”.

Dr. Uduaghan therefore enjoined the Judges to help the society by playing their own side of the game promptly and with great sense of duty so that the incidence of kidnapping would be drastically reduced.

The Governor promised to continue to guarantee the independence of the Judiciary so that Judges in the State would have the courage to be fair and firm in the dispensation of justice.

He also promised to religiously attend to the welfare of judicial officers and provide the necessary tools with which they would work with.

Assuring that his administration would construct new High Court buildings in the State, Dr Uduaghan said the High Court buildings in Warri and Asaba would be given priority attention.

He praised the State Judiciary for holding its head high in the face of criticisms trailing the Judiciary in some quarters.

The Governor who was optimistic that courts in the State would continue to be the last hope of the common man said “the Judiciary is the last hope of the common man. I know you will continue to uphold this so that you dispense justice courageously and without fear or favour.”

The Chief Judge of the State, Justice Smith commended the Governor for the special attention given to the Judiciary.

Justice Smith however requested the Governor to look into the issue of abandoned projects in the Judiciary and help to complete them.

He specifically cited court halls and quarters and requested for vehicles for those who do not have.

His words “we are grateful to the Governor for all he has done but we still want more. We want more court halls and we want more vehicles.”

He recalled that the Delta state police command paraded several kidnap suspects who had made the state uncomfortable to residents, especially the affluent.

The state commissioner of police, Mamman Ibrahim Tsafe had therefore called on members of the public to report suspicious incidences to the law enforcement agencies operating within the state.