Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has told the people of Omuma Local Government Area to collaborate with security agencies in the area to fish out criminals in their midst and get reward for it.

Omuma Local Government Area is sharing border with Abia State.

Governor Amaechi, who gave the charge Monday during a Town Hall Meeting with the people of Omuma Local Government Area at Eberi, said more security operatives would be deployed to the area to check the spate of criminal activities in that axis of the state.

The governor promised a reward of N10 million to the people if their collaboration would lead to the apprehension of 50 kidnappers, while the sum of N2 million awaits them if they aid the arrest of 30 kidnappers.

The State Chief Executive, who advised them to undertake a house-to-house identification of criminals, particularly kidnappers, and their informants and collaborators, stressing that no kidnap operation would be successful without an insider.

Governor Amaechi, who suggested that the only way to stamp out the ugly trend of hostage taking in the LGA, is to get the people of the area involved in the search for criminal elements.

To realize the purpose, he appealed to the communities to resolve their differences and choose who occupies the vacant stool of Onye-Isi-Agwuru for government recognition to enable him take part in the house-to-house search for kidnappers in the area.

He used the opportunity to inform those aspiring for the position of Onye-Isi-Agwuru that Government of Rivers State would not decide who becomes their ruler, but would recognize anyone approved by them, while advising that the process of getting one should be given urgent attention to enable them occupy their position in the state council of traditional rulers.

The governor assured that government owes them the responsibility of protecting lives and property, and blamed the delay in completion of some government projects in the area on the incessant cases of kidnapping as well as harassment of workers on site.

According to him, with the new approach, all the contractors that abandoned their project sites in the area would return before the end of the month to complete the projects and enumerated some of the programmes of government which the people of the local government had benefitted.

Responding to a question on 2011 election, the governor explained that the state government has not and would not endorse any candidate for any elective position, but noted that the only way to appreciate any public officer that has performed well would be to give him a second opportunity to serve them.

Also speaking, the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Magnus Abe said the Town Hall Meeting was initiated by Governor Amaechi as a deliberate attempt for him to interact with the people at the grassroots urged the people to avail themselves of the opportunity to bear their minds on issues bothering them.

Earlier, the Chairman of Omuma Local Government Council, Mr John Anucha had commended Governor Amaechi for completing the Eberi-Owaza-Ofeh Road and the construction of Model Primary Schools across the LGA.

He said the council has provided electricity to a lot of communities in the area, adding that the greatest challenge facing the area was insecurity as a result of activities of kidnappers from the neighbouring Abia State.