Workers in Kogi state, on Wednesday, staged a peaceful protest across Lokoja, the state capital, demanding an end to the scourge of insecurity ravaging the country.
Kogi State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Gabriel Amari, called on the government and all stakeholders to rise to the challenges of insecurity.
Comrade Amari decried the situation which he said has impacted on the livelihood of the people.
He urged the federal government to assist Kogi in tackling insecurity as the state is a gateway to the southern, northern and eastern flanks of the nation. He also urged the federal government to work in conjunction with traditional rulers to reactivate the neighbourhood watch to help tackle insecurity at community level.
The labour leader, however, commended the giant strides of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo led administration in the area of security and urged him to sustain the tempo.
The workers, carrying a large banner and placards denouncing insecurity in Nigeria, were received at the government house by the State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara (rtd.).
Omodara appealed for a special security intervention fund for Kogi state to efficiently fight insecurity in view of its magnitude.
He reiterated Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s commitment to secure every inch of the state.
According to him, the administration has invested huge resources in securing the lives and property of citizens and those on transit across the state, through the provision of operational vehicles and other logistics to aid the operations of security agencies in the state
“Only yesterday, we uncovered large cache of arms and ammunition from criminals hideouts. We will continue to go after them. Kogi will not surrender to criminal group or groups. We are already winning the war with the active support of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu.
“We are also soliciting special security votes, because of the complex location of Kogi. Kogi is bordered by about ten states including the federal capital territory. Those criminals displaced from neighboring states are infiltrating our State. We will surely contain them. We will never negotiate our freedom with criminals,” he added.
