By Adeyemi Babarinde Sunday.
Okoa community in Egbe, Yagba West local government area of Kogi state, has launched its own indigenous security outfit known as Think Home Frontiers (THF), aimed at addressing the security challenges confronting the area.
The official unveiling of the outfit took place on Saturday in Okoa, with members of the newly formed team fully uniformed and mobilised to commence operations. The development marks a bold and proactive step by the community towards ensuring the protection of lives and property.
Speaking at the launch, Chief Adekunle Oniya, the Aare of Egbeland, commended the people of Okoa for their unity and commitment to securing their community. He lauded the initiative as a model of grassroots-driven security architecture and pledged to donate a patrol van to the THF team by next month to support their operations.
“This is a call to duty for our sons to rise in defence of their homeland. The time has come for us to take responsibility for our own safety. I am proud of what we have accomplished together, and I assure you that more support will come in due course,” he said.
The THF team comprises trained personnel drawn from the local population, many of whom are indigenes committed to safeguarding their ancestral land. Their duties will include surveillance, intelligence gathering, patrols, and collaborating with existing security agencies to respond swiftly to security threats in the area.
Community leaders, youth representatives, and elders were present at the event and expressed optimism that the initiative would deter criminal elements and strengthen communal peace and order.
Residents of Okoa have hailed the creation of THF as timely and commendable, especially in light of growing concerns over rising insecurity in parts of the state.
“This is more than a launch of a security team, it is a bold statement of unity, resilience, and a renewed commitment to self-help,” said Mrs. Ruth Awarun, a trader.
Reacting to the development, Oladapo Mikky, a popular X influencer shared his views in a chat with FocusNGR correspondent, describing the move as commendable and much-needed:
“Well, to me it’s a nice approach because that’s what we need right now. To be more security conscious. Security is everyone’s business no matter who you are.”
The leadership of THF has assured the community of professionalism, discipline, and collaboration with all stakeholders, including traditional rulers and law enforcement agencies.
