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Cross River State governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, has announced the reward of N1 million for anyone who offers information leading to the arrest of kidnappers and armed robbers in the state.
The Executive Order is christened “Hafiz Law”.
Governor Ayade who spoke at the Executive Council Chambers in Calabar, during a courtesy call on him by the newly posted Commissioner of Police to the state, Hafiz Inuwa, said that the law provides that “Anybody who whistle blows on an armed robber or a kidnapper and by intelligence or investigation that armed robber or kidnapper is found to be true, that person is entitled to N1 million.”
He added that N1million was guaranteed for anyone who discovers an armed robber, somebody who is in illegal possession of firearms, or somebody who is a kidnapper or harbouring a kidnapped victim or offer any information leading to the arrest of an armed robber or kidnapper.”
Frowning at a situation where people arrested on issues relating to armed robbery or kidnapping find their way back to streets without prosecution, Ayade said: “We will give you the financial support to continue to feed them until the law takes its full course.”
Stressing that the Police have the capacity and intelligence to determine when one is falsely accused so that the innocent does not unnecessarily get trapped, the governor intimated that “anybody caught in the act or there is sufficient evidence that corroborates that action, that he is involved in any armed robbery and kidnapping, it is our responsibility as public servants who are in charge of the security of this state to ensure that such dangerous people do not get back to the society, unless the law finds them innocent.”