The Edo State Government has warned traditional rulers and village heads in the state that they would be held responsible for any kidnapping act in their domains.
The acting Governor, Philip Shaibu, said this in Benin after a security meeting with the traditional rulers, heads of local government councils, vigilantes, hunters, among other stakeholders.
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He also called herdsmen and other groups occupying the state’s forests in the guise of camping to vacate such areas with immediate effect.
He mandated the councils’ heads to use the security apparatus, including the police, army, vigilantes and hunters, to forcefully remove any group or individual that failed to vacate the forests within the next 10 days.
He advised traditional rulers and village heads who had collected money from herdsmen to allow any form of camping or grazing in the state’s forests to refund such money and ask them to leave with immediate effect.
He said, “After 10 days, traditional rulers and village heads would be held responsible for any act of kidnapping or terrorism in their domains.”