Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, on Wednesday ordered the immediate arrest of the leaders of the illegal group, ‘Hunters and Forests Security Guards’ for allegedly shaving the hair of a lady in the State capital, Makurdi.
The group had Tuesday caused heavy security breach on the streets of Makurdi town following their action.
The Governor in a statement Wednesday, by his Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur, distanced himself and his administration from the activities of the organisation saying “they are not an agency of the state government.”
He maintained that “the State government has no relationship with the Hunters security outfit and will not in anyway condone their operations in the State.
“The Hunters and Forest Security Guards is not a creation of the Benue State Government and we absolutely do not have any relationship with it in whatever form.
As the Chief Security Officer of the State, I am appalled by the unlawful acts of these people and I condemn this in unequivocal terms and state categorically that my government has nothing to do with this group and its actions”
Governor Ortom stressed that his government would not condone injustice of any form and inhuman treatment of persons based on gender, social, political religious or ethnic segregation.
He emphasized that as a government, which had been in the forefront of the fight against insecurity and all forms of injustice and discrimination against her people, he would not fold his arms and watch some lawless persons maltreat his subjects.
He said “I have repeatedly maintained that I will never allow criminals take over the state. Benue citizens are law-abiding and we cannot allow illegal bodies to operate and harass people here.”
Consequently, the following persons who are leaders of the group have been arrested by the Police for breach of security in state.
Those arrested include Peter Ajonye, State Commandant, Leva Luther, Deputy Commandant, Jov Charles, Admin Officer and Godwin Adinya, State Adviser.
The Governor charged the police to properly investigate those involved in the act and ensure that justice was done in order to serve as a deterrent to other persons or groups that might want to take laws into their hands to visit mayhem on innocent citizens.