[FILES] In Rivers State, criminality is high in rural areas due to thick forests, especially in Gokona, Etche, Emuoha, Ikwere, Khana, Tai and Ogugbolo Councils.As many forests across the country remain under-utilised and under-secured, they have equally become safe haven of the sort to criminals, including bandits, kidnappers, robbers, cattle rustlers and ritualists.
In Rivers State, criminality is high in rural areas due to thick forests, especially in Gokona, Etche, Emuoha, Ikwere, Khana, Tai and Ogugbolo Councils, where criminals hide and kidnap victims. x
Sometimes, the forests are relatively unknown to security agents who have to depend on the locals to identify such criminals’ hideouts. Hunters, farmers and other locals help to monitor and report suspicious movements of criminals in the forests to community heads, who in turn pass such information to the Police for action.