Gov Alia to demolish property housing kidnappers, yahoo boys

Gov. Hyacinth Alia of Benue has disclosed that all property housing kidnappers and Yahoo boys in the state would be demolished.

Alia, who disclosed this on Friday during a press conference in Makurdi, also said that he would soon meet with all hotel owners in the state over the issue.

He said intelligent reports available to him revealed that some hotels and property in the state were shielding kidnappers and Yahoo boys.

He said if any hotel or property was confirmed to be housing or shielding criminals, it would be demolished immediately.

He added that Benue was no home for cultists and that all people residing in the state must learn to play by the rules or leave.

He said the government would establish a call centre where people could call 24/7 to report on general security issues.

He said the security of lives and property was the topmost priority of his administration, and nobody would be spared if found breaching the state’s security.

He said his visit, as well as that of the 19 northern governors, to the U.S. was at the behest of the American government to find ways of tackling the security challenges bedevilling the region and to collaborate on how to improve agriculture.

He described the visit as ‘quite fruitful and encouraging’, and advised the youths in the state to join agricultural cooperatives, adding that the government would support such societies operating in the state.

Alia said that his administration’s policy to support youths through agriculture was in tandem with his campaign promise of youth empowerment.

Alia also disclosed that his administration was putting in place modalities to commence dry-season farming.

The governor advised the youths never to allow anybody to use them for mischief purposes, adding that they should tell such persons to bring their children, who were mostly residents abroad, to perform their dirty jobs for them.

He said his administration had commenced employment processes with more than 400 youths at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) to address unemployment.

According to him, however, agriculture still offers a more realistic hope of accommodating and reaching out to more people.