Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has directed traditional rulers in the state, to immediately identify and hand over those perpetrating crimes in their domains to the government for prosecution.

Jerry Omodara, the Special Adviser on Security to the governor, said this while unveiling the state government’s new strategy on community policing, in response to the rising wave of kidnapping, armed robber, cultism and other violent crimes in many parts of the state.

He said traditional rulers will henceforth be required to provide information on suspicious people and movements in there domain, adding that the government has promised to support them financially.

Omodara warned youths in the state to stay away from crime as security agencies in the state are out to make life difficult for them.

The Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Abdullahi Chaffe and the State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Evaristus Obialu called on traditional rulers and religious leaders to collaborate with security agencies to make Kogi State safer.

Kogi State has been in the news lately for all sorts of crimes. The Lokoja-Okene highway, for instance, has become quite notorious for armed robbery and kidnapping almost on daily basis.