Kogi state government has provided succour for residents of Jakura and Obagbon communities in Lokoja local government area who were evacuated to an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in the course of security clearance operations.
Residents of the communities, along with their traditional rulers, were evacuated about three weeks ago based on credible intelligence indicting some of the indigenes of collaborating with criminal elements in the area.
Determined to identify the criminal collaborators, the state government evacuated residents of the two communities and moved them to IDP camp in Lokoja. The move was also made to enable security operatives carry out major clearance operations.
Addressing newsmen in Lokoja on Tuesday, the State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara (rtd) said the resident has been cooperating with the state government and security agencies.
He said the state government has decided to move them back to their communities considering that the evacuated residents are observing the ongoing ramadan fast.
He presented 200 bags of rice and four cows to representatives of Jakura and Ogbabon communities as directed by Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
Commander Omodara noted that the operation which was carried out by the Office of the National Security Adviser in Kogi, Lokoja, Yagba East, Yagba West, and Kabba-Bunu local government areas, in collaboration with security agencies, vigilante and local hunters, has yielded positive results.
He reaffirmed that the Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo led administration will not negotiate with criminals as it will continue to intensify effort to ensure that the people of the state live in their respective communities without fear.
“The people of Kogi State must live in peace, they must stay in their communities, go to farm, go to market, go to church, go to mosque without any fear of bandit and that is what the government still stand for,” he said.
The Security Adviser pointed out that “in the course of the clearance operation, we discovered that some of our communities are involved in working with these criminals. Some youths and women are selling items to bandits and critical information was being passed to them.”
“And in two major communities, mainly Obagbon and Jakura, we noticed that a lot of intel were gotten and some of the boys were already cooperating and we have no option than to evacuate some of the people including the traditional rulers and their families.
“The monarchs cooperated with the government and security agencies to ensure that we restore peace to their communities. We took them far away from their ancestral homes and after about two weeks of not being in their communities, government saw the need for them to go back and released two hundred bags of rice and four cows to help them during this fasting,” he stated
He assured that government will continue to ensure security of lives and property in the affected communities and solicited the support of stakeholders in the community to sustain safety.
Commander Omodara vowed that any indigene of the state caught involved in conveying logistics to criminals and submission of ransoms will not be spared as anyone found wanting will be treated as bandit.
In his remarks, the Chairman of Lokoja local government area, Comrade Adamu Abdullahi, said the efforts of the government have led to bandits begging for food.
The Obaro of Jakura, HRH Oba Ajibola Adoga, expressed delight over the feat against insecurity, especially in his community, saying at a point, the bandits enter the community freely.
He thanked Gov. Ododo for coming to their rescue and assured that he will work with relevant stakeholders for the safety of lives and property.
