Cross River governor warns criminals

Speaking at a gathering of state Executive Council members, the governor said he was concerned about the high incident of “kidnapping, adoption and whatever acts committed for the purpose of collecting ransom, including actions that prevent people from going about their legitimate business.”

Otu said: “Instead of queuing into the new administration’s development strategy, a few criminal elements have resorted to making money, while holding guns over our heads. They have no respect for human lives. I wish to state that enough is enough. This must stop; not tomorrow, but today!

“Heads of security agencies are, therefore, directed to deploy resources at their disposal to ensure that this menace is stopped; and all hostages are freed, to reunite with their families.”

The Nation reports that doctors under the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) are on strike for over four weeks, following the kidnap of a medical consultant, Prof. Ekanem Philip-Ephraim.

According to the NMA, records have it that 14 doctors in the state have been kidnapped under a period of two years.