By Chidi Nkwopara
Imo State governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, has called on the church to join the government in its effort to rid the state of crime and criminals, including armed robbery and kidnapping.

Ohakim, who made the passionate appeal during a New Year Pontifical Sung Mass at Holy Trinity Catholic Cathedral, Orlu, also told the congregation that the reward of N1 million would be given to anybody who volunteered useful information that could lead to the arrest of a kidnapper.

He said government was taking the issue of security seriously, pointing out that only recently, 19 people suspected to be kidnappers were arrested and paraded by the state police command.

The governor used the event to invite the people to the stakeholders’ forum scheduled to hold at the Multi Purpose and Convention Centre, New Owerri, today.

“The stakeholders’ forum will provide a forum for the people to interact and ask questions on issues affecting the state,” Ohakim said.

The governor commended the Catholic Bishop of Orlu Diocese, Rt. Rev. Dr. Augustine Ukwuoma, and the people for “their hard work” and pledged to assist them in the execution of projects in the Cathedral.

Preaching the homily earlier, Dr. Ukwuoma charged politicians to shun violence in the pursuit of their political ambitions in the interest of peace in the state and the country at large.