Rotimi Akeredolu, Governor of Ondo State, has given a marching order to all security agencies in the state to ensure an end to rampant cases of kidnapping in the state.

Akeredolu expressed worry over the security situation in the state, emphasising the need to curb the activities of the kidnappers who have turned all the bushes and thick forests of the state into a “den”.

At an emergency meeting held with heads of security agencies at Cocoa Conference Hall of the Governor's Office in Alagbaka, Akure on Monday, he stated that he had been undaunted with complaints on how the kidnappers have operated on the failed portion of Akure-Owo-Ikare-Akoko road in the state.

Akeredolu specifically charged the leadership of Miyetti Allah to join hands with security agencies in the state to fight the scourge of kidnapping in the state.

According to him, all the traditional rulers in the "flagship points" of the state, which have been identified by security agencies, have a major role to play in fishing out the criminals.

"The security of this state must be everybody's business and I want to call on us all to ensure that these people who have converted our bushes to hideouts are brought to the book,” he said.

At the meeting, Gbenga Adeyanju, the Commissioner for Police in Ondo State, was represented by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in Charge of Operations, Abubakar Tijani.

In his remarks, Brigadier General James Ataguba, the Brigade Commander of the 32 Artillery Brigade in Ondo State, explained that his men would collaborate with security agencies.

He tasked the leaders of Miyetti Allah in the state to look into the activities of their members who have been accused in some kidnap cases that have occurred in the past few weeks.

SaharaReporters gathered that the meeting was also attended by the Ondo State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Pedro Awili Ideba, the leadership of Miyeti Allah and traditional rulers.