The Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Comrade Joel Salifu, on Sunday convened a high-level security meeting following renewed incidents of kidnapping along the Itobe-Anyigba corridor and other communities in Kogi East.
The meeting, held at the Deputy Governor’s residence in Ejule, brought together the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, DCP Sadisu Umar Tafida; the Commander of 21 Army Battalion, Ogidibeje, Lt. Colonel Godiya Solomon Monday; the Idah Area Commander of the Nigeria Police Force; the Dekina Area Commander of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC); the Department of State Services (DSS) office in Ofu; leaders of Community Watch, Neighbourhood Watch and vigilante groups; other heads of security agencies; traditional rulers; and community representatives.
Participants deliberated on the rising security challenges in the area and on ways to strengthen coordinated response mechanisms among the various agencies and community structures.
Speaking shortly before the closed-door session, Comrade Salifu said the meeting was convened on the instruction of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo to obtain firsthand information from communities along the Itobe-Ajegwu-Olaidebu-Ojodu-Ochadamu-Anyigba axis and to address the deteriorating security situation.
He stressed that the Ododo administration places the highest priority on the safety and security of residents and commuters, and disclosed that he cut short an official overseas engagement upon receiving reports of the situation, returning immediately to coordinate response efforts.
The Deputy Governor thanked security agencies for their efforts and offered prayers for the repose of security personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty in recent operations.
He described the Itobe-Anyigba road as “an area of concern” for the present administration, stressing the need to identify security gaps and find lasting solutions. He assured commuters that government would not allow criminals to take over the road.
Comrade Salifu called for stronger cooperation between communities and security agencies, particularly through the timely and credible sharing of information that could help operatives prevent attacks and apprehend criminals. He warned criminal elements to abandon their activities immediately or face the full weight of the law.
Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of Ofu Local Government Area, Hon. Mohammed Lawal Musa, said security is everyone’s business and urged residents to cooperate by supplying relevant information to security agencies to help eliminate criminal elements.
According to Hon. Musa, intelligence available to the local government indicates that the criminal activities are being carried out by foreigners aided by indigenes of communities along the corridor. He warned these collaborators to desist or face prosecution, and assured commuters of the state government’s ongoing efforts to neutralise the criminal elements and make the road safer for all users.
The Itobe-Anyigba route is a major gateway to the South-East and the principal link between Kogi East and the state capital, Lokoja, making its security critical to trade and mobility in the region. The Ododo administration says it remains committed to ensuring that residents and travellers can use the road safely and without fear of criminal attack.
Sunday’s strategic security meeting is expected to mark a turning point in efforts to address the resurgence of kidnapping and insecurity along the corridor and to restore commuters’ confidence in the route.
