Delta State governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has said that the state government will demolish houses and properties of convicted kidnappers and their collaborators in the state as part of efforts to check incidents of kidnapping and other criminal activities in the state.
Okowa, when the new Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Zanna Ibrahim, paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, said that the amended kidnapping law would go beyond jail sentence for kidnappers.
Okowa Okowa Saying that the law provides for the demolition of property and houses of culpable individuals and their collaborators considered as proceeds of crime, he noted “We will do all we can to stop kidnappings in the state.
It is becoming a menace in the country, we are amending the Anti-kidnapping law in the state to make sure that those involved and their collaborators will not go free with the proceeds of the crime. “The houses and property of those involved, their beneficiaries and collaborators will be brought down.
We will implement the law to the letter when the amended bill is passed and signed into law.” Commending Mr Ibrahim Zanna for his plans to partner communities and vigilante groups in crime prevention and intelligence gathering, Okowa expressed the resolve of the state government to ensure “a crime free Delta State.”
Disclosing that the state’s vigilante law would be amended to make it operational and clear all contentious issues, he said: “We welcome your advocacy as it will enable the communities build confidence in the police and information will be given to the police without fear.
“It is difficult to police a state without partnership with the community stakeholders, some of our people have become apprehensive of the activities of the criminals among the herdsmen and it has spread to the cattle rearers, who have lived among us. We need to sift the criminals from the genuine ones, this advocacy will help us in this process.”
