Some people under the aegis of Hunters and Forests Security Guard on Monday and Tuesday disrupted the peace in some streets of Makurdi, Benue State capital, by shaving people’s hair in public. Therefore, the state governor, Samuel Ortom, on Wednesday called on the police to apprehend them.
Members of the group were reported to have gone around major streets in the capital city stopping and harassing those who either dyed or left their hair overgrown and began shaving them with unsterilised scissors.
Video clips of a lady whose hair was being shaved had gone viral on social media.
This, however, sparked verbal protests both on social media and across the state with many people calling for the arrest of the leadership of the Hunters Security outfit.
Governor Ortom on Wednesday took a swipe at the people behind the harassment of the people in the state capital and called on the police to apprehend them.
According to the statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur, Ortom said that his administration had no relationship with the Hunters Security outfit and will not in any way condone their operations in the state.
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“On Tuesday, April 26th, an illegal group known as Hunters and Forests Security Guards caused heavy security breaches on the streets of Makurdi and shaved a young lady’s hair.
“The governor who distanced himself and his administration from the activities of the illegal organisation who forcefully shaved a young lady’s hair on the street of Makurdi, saying they are not an agency of the state government.
“The Hunters and Forest Security Guards is not a creation of the Benue State Government and we absolutely do not have any relationship with it in whatever form. As the chief security officer of the state, I am appalled by the unlawful acts of these people and I condemn this in unequivocal terms and state categorically that my government has nothing to do with this group and its actions.
“Governor Ortom stressed that his government does not condone injustice of any form and inhuman treatment of persons based on gender, social, political religious or ethnic segregation.
“The governor emphasized that as a government, which has been in the forefront of the fight against insecurity and all forms of injustice and discrimination against her people, he would not fold his arms and watch some lawless persons maltreat his subjects.
“I have repeatedly maintained that I will never allow criminals to take over the state. Benue citizens are law-abiding and we cannot allow illegal bodies to operate and harass people here.”
The statement further read that leaders of the group had been arrested by the Police for breach of security in state and identified them to include; Ajonye Peter, State Commandant, Leva Luther, Deputy Commandant, Jov Peter Charles, Admin Officer and Godwin Adinya, State Adviser.
Ortom charged the police to properly investigate those involved in the act and ensure that justice is done in order to serve as a deterrent to other persons or groups that may want to take laws into their hands to visit mayhem on innocent citizens.
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