The Deputy Minister of Interior, Mr James Agalga, on Wednesday warned the general public to desist from lynching suspected criminals.

Whilst appreciating the efforts of the general public in assisting the police in matters relating to criminals , the Deputy Interior Minister told the public to hand over suspected criminals to the security agencies for investigation and trial.

He warned that people who lynched criminals when arrested could be made to face the full rigour of the law.

The Deputy Interior Minister issued the warning at a Regional People Forum in Bolgatanga, where some participants expressed concern about the spate of lynching of suspected criminals in the Municipality.

On the issue of the Bawku conflict, the Deputy Interior Minister said talks were ongoing to get the Mamprusis, who had withdrawn from the Bawku Inter ethnic Peace Committee to return, and expressed the hope that there would peace in the area.

Mr Agalga also stated that his outfit, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, had empowered the Immigration Service at the border towns to help handle the Ebola situation.

He said the Ministry was lobbying to get financial support from government to enable it to recruit more security personnel to beef up the security situation in the country.

He indicated said plans were also far advanced to hold stakeholders meeting to reform the prison system by introducing non custodian measures, and cited for instance that, people caught with minor offenses such as stealing of fowls could be made to do community services instead of being given prison terms.

The Paramount Chief of the Kayoro traditional area, Pe Oscar A. Tiyiamo, appealed to government to consider opening a police station at the area, which shares border with the neighbouring country of Burkina Faso, explaining that criminals were using the area to their advantage since they could easily cross over to Burkina Faso.

The Deputy Minister of Works and Water Resources, Mr Sampson Ahi, said the Region would be provided with more boreholes to add to the 400 that were recently provided.