Benue State Government has warned individuals and groups against the deliberate destruction of public utilities and billboards across the state, saying offenders will face the full weight of the law.
The government described the acts of vandalism as criminal and retrogressive, accusing those involved of attempting to undermine the developmental strides of the administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Solomon Iorpev, said the state government had constituted a dedicated Task Force to monitor, protect and secure public utilities and billboards across the state.
Iorpev said the Task Force would work closely with security agencies to identify, apprehend and ensure the prosecution of persons found vandalising public assets.
He warned that the government would not spare anyone found culpable, stressing that there would be “no sacred cows and no exceptions” in enforcing the law.
According to him, the Alia-led administration remains committed to upholding the rule of law and protecting public and private investments contributing to the growth and
development of the state.
The government also assured law-abiding citizens, investors and other stakeholders of its support and readiness to protect their legitimate interests from the activities of miscreants.
It urged members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities around public installations to security agencies or the newly constituted Task Force.
The commissioner said the government would deploy its full machinery to clamp down on those destroying public assets and threatening the peace and progress of the state.
He vowed that anyone found culpable would face the full weight of the law, without fear or favour.