A criminologist and security analyst, Comrade Simeon Eleojo Opaluwa, has commended the Kogi State Government and joint security forces for the successful rescue of 21 kidnapped victims from Egume Forest in Ofu Local Government Area of the state.
Opaluwa described the rescue operation as a direct reward for the state government’s sustained investment in security, noting that the outcome reflected months of strategic planning and resource deployment by state authorities.
According to him, information gathered from residents in the affected communities suggested that the kidnappers operating in the forest numbered close to two hundred, a figure he said underscored the scale of the security threat confronting the area.
The security analyst expressed deep concern over what he described as the growing attraction to crime among young people in the state, linking the trend to worsening unemployment and inequality.
“A situation where young graduates cannot get jobs and feel inferior or inadequate, they will be easily enticed by the offer to make millions within days from ransom payments,” Opaluwa said.
He had earlier called on the state government to deploy the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) recently procured by Kogi State to the affected corridor, particularly the Alloma axis, to complement the efforts of land patrol teams operating in the area.
Opaluwa urged the government to adopt a “carrot and stick” approach in tackling criminality across the state, combining firm security enforcement with measures that address the underlying drivers of crime.
He further tasked government at all levels to prioritise job creation and foster an enabling environment for young people to thrive, warning that without such interventions, the cycle of youth involvement in crime would be difficult to break.
